


Smothered

by samarielvonvestra (estychan)



Series: Light My Fire [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Derogatory Language, Explicit Language, Fluff, Gay Sex, Heartbreak, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 20:20:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 43,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21654628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/estychan/pseuds/samarielvonvestra
Summary: The sequel to “The Fire Within.”Fires are lit, and fires die... but sometimes, they’re rekindled.Piers and Raihan are happy to enjoy each other’s company whenever they have the time, whether it’s in a hotel room between exhibition matches or in Piers’s room after a concert. Piers suspected from the very beginning that things could get complicated... but he certainly didn’t expect it to hurt so much when they did.Rated E for a reason.
Relationships: piers/raihan
Series: Light My Fire [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1561102
Comments: 96
Kudos: 558





	1. Prologue: The Creeping Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> I fell in love with these two while writing “The Fire Within” and immediately after uploading chapter 2, I decided I wanted to work on a sequel. :) It will be more than two chapters. How many more? Even I don’t know yet... but I hope you’ll all enjoy the ride, regardless.

Piers felt like he was Marnie's age again, sitting in his room in the dark. He had even pulled out his old Zigzagoon plush from the confines of his closet as a sort of security blanket, squeezing it so tightly to his chest that were it a real Pokemon, it would have bitten him in self defense. He hid his face in its soft fur, closing his eyes tightly and shaking his head against all of the dark thoughts that came flooding in.

" _How fucking stupid are you?"_ the version of him in his head asked, smirking. In his mind's eye, the anti-Piers was pacing around him slowly in the pitch blackness, his eyes as dark as the endless void around them. He was a terrifying vision, and Piers hadn't seen him in a long time… but he knew he was always there, lurking in his subconscious like a predator waiting to strike. 

He would never truly be rid of him.

_"What the fuck did you think was gonna happen, mate? Did you really think he was the one? Did you think he was doin' anything but using you? Did you think he actually gave a shit about you?"_

He tensed up, hugging the plush even tighter at the feeling of tears crowding in close behind his eyelids. What _had_ he thought?

_"No one could ever think of you as anything but some fun on the side. A way to pass the time. He's probably havin' a grand ol' laugh about it: about how fuckin'_ easy _it was."_

"Shut up," Piers murmured out loud in no more than a whisper, the first of the tears falling down a pale cheek and getting lost in the plush Zigzagoon's fur.

_"What a fuckin' embarrassment you are. What would Marnie think if she saw you like this? Ah, who am I foolin'? She'd laugh at how much of a fuckin' pussy her big brother — her hero — has become."_

"SHUT UP!" 

The anti-Piers faded away, his cruel laugh lingering even after he was gone. Piers's breathing was heavy and fast as he sat there in the darkness of his room, the tears coming faster and faster. 

His phone buzzed on his nightstand, the sound of the vibration on the wood in the otherwise silent room making him jump. He debated ignoring it and just letting it sit there, but… what if it was Marnie? He sighed shakily and picked up his phone, looking at it.

He clutched the phone hard enough that his knuckles blanched when he saw the name at the top of the screen. He swallowed heavily and pressed the Decline button. Before he could put his phone back on the nightstand, the screen lit up again with a text message.

**_Pls answer ur phone._ **

Moments later, it started buzzing again in his hand. He wanted to smash it and be done with it, but even in his compromised state, he knew that wouldn't be practical. This time, he just let it ring out, staring at the screen.

Seconds passed. Another text message.

**_Pls answer babe. We need 2 talk. Let me explain._ **

Piers gritted his teeth as a wave of anger flooded his veins at the sight of the pet name Raihan always used on him. He would _dare?_ Now, of all times? Against his better judgement, fueled exclusively by the extreme emotions bombarding him, he called Raihan back. He picked up on the first ring.

"Piers, listen—"

Piers's voice cracked slightly as he spoke, fat tears dripping from his chin. "No, _you_ fuckin' listen, and don't worry, I'll be quick. I'll be _right_ quick so you can get back to whichever cunt tickles your fancy tonight. Don't approach me at events. Don't come to my concerts. Don't even ask anyone about how I am or what I'm doin', 'cause I know you don't give a Raticate's _arse_ about any of it if it doesn't benefit you or your fuckin' _image._ " He spoke the last word as though it were poison on his tongue. “I’m done. I’m done with being your fuckin’ publicity stunt… and I’m done with you.”

"Is that what you think? I… I know you're pissed, and I know what it looks like. But please... you've _gotta_ let me explain," Raihan said quickly, sounding uncharacteristically frantic. "I'm beggin' you."

Piers was shaking. He didn't know anymore if it was anger or sadness, or perhaps a bit of both. All he knew was that it felt like someone had torn him apart inside and he wanted to run away. 

_“Just like you always do,”_ came the cruel voice at the back of his mind. 

“Don’t call me again,” he said, voice thick with tears. He hung up and turned the phone off, tossing it to the end of his bed. He buried his face into his Zigzagoon plush once more and the dam completely broke as he sobbed heavily into its fur. The noise was muffled, but his entire body shook with the force of his breakdown. That was it, then. He could feel the darkness creeping in just like it always did. Eventually, he knew, it would snuff out even the tiny flame still dancing in his heart: the tiny flame that, even now, still danced for Raihan.


	2. Things Will Get Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Raihan goes to another of Piers's concerts and makes a decision that Piers is none too pleased with... At first. Also, sex scene because yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexy times for y'all! Now picture Piers with fishnet stockings on, and booty shorts. Leather ones. Got it? Now read on! xD

**Three Months Earlier…**

The energy of the crowd was electric, and he could feel it even before he got up on stage. It prickled across his skin, giving him the best kind of goosebumps and awakening something within him that only performing could. He took a deep breath and released it slowly through his mouth, fiddling with the ring on his choker. He did get some anxiety before all of his performances, which was natural, but… now that he  _ knew _ a certain someone was going to be in the audience, watching his every move, he was feeling it so much more.

_ Lighten up, Piers, _ he thought.  _ You’re the one who invited him, for fuck’s sake.  _

When he heard his guitarist playing her usual show-opening riff, he made his way out onto the stage. The crowd went wild like they always did and Piers smirked, tapping his heel as the concert began in earnest. The drums were like the beating of his heart; the music swelling around him, the blood in his veins. Then there was his voice, and that was his soul.

He sang his heart out like he always did, moving with the ebb and flow of the music and the crowd like a Lapras in the sea. He ground slowly against his microphone stand during a particularly filthy verse, winking at a few young women in the front row who shrieked with excitement and for a moment, Piers feared one of them might actually faint. He loved this. He loved playing with the crowd, inspiring them and making them forget their sad little lives, even if only for a little while.

Occasionally, he would actively look for a very specific person in the crowd, but of course he would never see him. He had become very good at blending in, which Piers was honestly grateful for. Once, he had asked him why he only ever came in disguise, solely out of curiosity. “When you’re up there, that’s  _ your _ time,” he had said in response, a big grin upon his face. “The crowd should be watching you and only you when you’re on that stage. I don’t wanna take away from that.”

It was sweet, in a way. Raihan was an absolute whore for attention the rest of the time, and he had admitted as much on several occasions. Why else would his Rotom phone constantly snap pictures and record little videos of everything he did and post them on social media?

Well…  _ almost _ everything.

For just a moment while he was singing, he thought back to the night three weeks prior when Raihan had come to one of his concerts for the first time: when he’d learned more about the man than he ever thought was possible. How he tasted, how he smelled… how he felt buried deep inside him. He reeled those thoughts back as much as he could, though he couldn’t stop the faint blush that colored his cheeks. He thought about that night often when he was alone in his room late at night, wide awake and needing to unwind before he could even hope to fall asleep. Raihan was the subject of a great deal of his fantasies nowadays, and he was not complaining, though he would never actually admit it to the man himself. He did have  _ some _ dignity.

He sang loud and proud when he hit the final note of the evening, striking a powerful pose on-stage and singing toward the ceiling as though his life depended on it. The crowd went absolutely bonkers for it and Piers stomped his heel in time with the final beat of the drums. He laughed and gave a little bow, catching his breath as best he could before speaking.

“Fuckin’ hell, you guys are awesome,” he said breathlessly with a grin. “I seriously mean that, thank you all so,  _ so _ much for comin’ out ‘ere every week and havin’ a grand time. As usual, there are CDs and some merch for sale by the door on your way out. Be seein’ you!” He was cheered off the stage and went out his usual private exit, shivering slightly when the cool air touched his heated skin. He sighed quietly and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes and tipping his head back with a smile. He waited.

Several minutes later, the door opened again and out stepped a familiar figure. Piers looked up just in time to see Raihan lowering his hood and he tilted his head to the side inquisitively, crossing his arms.

“Well?” he asked, watching Raihan closely as the man approached him.

“Incredible as usual,” he answered simply, standing mere inches in front of him and tipping his chin up gently with one hand. “That last note, though…  _ Chills _ , babe.”

“I thought I told you not to call me that,” Piers protested, frowning. Raihan just chuckled and moved closer, pressing him against the wall with his body and sliding a hand slowly down his side. Piers couldn’t help but shiver when he felt his fingertips dancing softly down the outside of his thigh.

“Fishnets... Not part of your usual ensemble. Wear these for me?” Raihan’s sonorous voice was practically a purr, sending chills down his back and all the blood in his body diverting right down to his dick. As if he needed to even ask that question... Piers inhaled slowly in an attempt to calm himself, bending his leg over Raihan’s hip and biting his lip when he continued caressing his thigh with the most feathery of touches.

“Maybe,” he muttered in reply, the word lost in a quiet gasp when Raihan pressed his knee gently into his groin. “S-stop, idiot. Not ‘ere… Someone could—” He was silenced with a kiss and he practically melted into it, wrapping his arms around Raihan’s neck and moaning softly. Piers knew no one was allowed back here; only he had the key to the door and the gate at the end of the alley. Even so, he couldn’t help but be paranoid about someone seeing he and Raihan like this. Word would spread like wildfire, and that was the last thing either of them needed.

“Let’s go then,” Raihan whispered against his lips, his bright blue eyes full of desire. There was no way Piers could say no to that look, even if he wanted to. And he didn’t. He really, truly didn’t.

The second they were in the privacy of his room, Piers fell upon Raihan like a Boltund in heat. He pushed him onto the bed and followed him down, yanking his hoodie and T-shirt off in one smooth motion before attacking his mouth again. Raihan's moan tickled his lips and he smirked, pinning the man's hands above his head.

"Well, you're in a mood today," Raihan laughed, breathless when Piers straddled him and rubbed his clothed cock against his. He struggled briefly against Piers's grip on his wrists, but he obviously wasn't serious about getting away. If he was being serious, he could overpower the slighter man very easily. 

"Why d'you think I asked you to come?" Piers said, nipping teasingly at Raihan's bottom lip.

"My shinin' personality?" Raihan wiggled his eyebrows at him suggestively.

Piers rolled his eyes, but he couldn't keep his mild amusement from tugging a corner of his mouth into a little smile. He kissed him again, letting go of his wrists in favor of unbuckling his belt. Raihan shucked off his pants easily the second the opportunity arose, and Piers's eyes narrowed with lust when he saw he was already rock-hard. He wrapped his fingers around the shaft and gave it a few firm strokes, his own cock twitching in his pants when Raihan's hips shifted into the contact. He let go long enough to get undressed himself, making a show out of it. Raihan's gaze burned across his skin in a way that was almost palpable.

" _ Fuckin' hell _ ," he breathed. Piers moved to slide his fishnet stockings down his long legs, but Raihan immediately grabbed his hand to stop him. "Leave 'em."

Piers blushed, but he did as Raihan asked. He silently thanked his last-minute decision to wear fishnets on-stage and made a mental note to do so again in the future. He got back on the bed and laid down between Raihan’s legs, one hand pushing his hair back away from his face while the other guided his cock between his lips. He sucked teasingly at the tip, gazing up at Raihan from under long eyelashes as his tongue pressed up under the sensitive head.

Raihan shivered pleasantly and propped himself up on his elbows so he could better watch him, his cheeks flushed and his pupils dilated with hunger. This was one of Piers’s favorite things to do for Raihan; the man was so expressive when he was getting head, and surprisingly vocal. Piers had been told on no uncertain terms by at least one other man he’d been with before Raihan that he gave some of the best blowjobs they’d ever had, and he tended to gravitate toward things he was good at in bed if he had a choice. He took all of him in one smooth motion of his head, suppressing his gag reflex for as long as he could when the tip of Raihan’s cock touched the back of his throat. When he felt like it was too much, he pulled back to catch his breath before going for it again.

Raihan keened and his hand slid into Piers’s hair, gripping it tightly as a full-body tremor caused his hips to twitch.

“Nngh… F-fuck, that’s good,” he murmured huskily.

Piers sucked Raihan off for a couple of minutes, switching things up as frequently as he could and deep-throating him any time he could tell he was least expecting it. At some point he crept a hand under himself to give himself a few strokes, moaning around Raihan’s shaft. That was one of his biggest flaws, he knew: always so eager to please, but often forgetting to take care of himself in the process. He stopped bobbing his head once he got the salty, slightly bitter taste of pre-cum on his tongue, pulling away and licking his reddened lips.

Raihan panted and loosened his grip on Piers’s hair, swallowing heavily and giving him a shaky grin.

“If you keep that up, I dunno how long I’m gonna last… and I’m not leaving here ‘til I’ve fucked you at least once in those fishnets.”

“Who said you were gonna be the one doin’ the fucking?” Piers asked, his ice-blue eyes flashing deviously for a moment as he reached over and grabbed the lube off his nightstand. The look on Raihan’s face at the implication was comical, and he might have laughed if he weren’t feeling so impatient. He popped the cap open on the lube and poured a generous amount on his fingers.

“H-hey, whoa,” Raihan said with a nervous laugh, watching Piers’s every move like a Spearow. “Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t mind tryin’ it sometime, but…” He trailed off when Piers leaned back on his knees and reach his lubed hand behind himself. Piers gasped quietly when the cold lube touched his heated skin and he slowly pushed a finger inside. He shivered and bit his lip, moving it in and out slowly. He watched Raihan’s eyes darken with hunger like before, and he would be lying if he said he didn’t love that look. That look alone was enough to make him throb with need.

“Didn’t you just say you were gonna be fuckin’  _ me _ , babe?” Raihan asked, wrapping his fingers around Piers and giving him a few firm strokes that made him whine. “Not used to doin' it that way, but I wasn’t givin’ you an outright ‘no.’”

Piers uttered a breathless laugh, pushing a second finger into himself and shaking his head. “Was just… a-ah… messin’ with you… Good to know y-you’d be willin’ to try sometime, though…” Once he felt like he had prepared himself enough (and he probably could have afforded to do it more, but patience was not one of his strong suits), he pulled his fingers out and straddled Raihan’s hips. He reached down and grabbed the dark-skinned man’s dick, positioning it at his entrance and slowly sinking down on it. He couldn’t stifle the moan that escaped, his entire body flushed as he gradually took more and more of him. The sound that escaped Raihan was unbelievably hot, and Piers knew he’d be hearing it in his dreams for a while.

It didn’t take long before Piers’s ass was flush against Raihan’s hips and he simply stayed there for a minute, letting his body get used to the uncomfortable sensation that always came with the first entry. He keened when Raihan pushed up against him slightly, wincing for a moment before the pain was overtaken by pleasure. Raihan’s hands found his fishnet-clad thighs and gripped them firmly as he visibly tried keeping himself from thrusting up into him and accidentally hurting him.

Piers started moving once the discomfort was gone, hands braced on Raihan’s sculpted chest as he rode him. Raihan’s hands moved to his hips and helped guide his movements, taking some of the strain off Piers’s legs. Piers rolled his hips, seeking out that spot deep inside and tossing his head back with an ecstatic cry when he found it. He felt Raihan throb inside him in response. He could only imagine how he must have looked to him in that moment: flushed and hard, his cock dripping pre-cum on Raihan’s belly, and his hips moving with the practiced ease of a harlot as gasps and cries of ecstasy poured from his kiss-reddened lips.

“Fuck, a-ahh…!” Another roll of his hips, and Raihan was reduced to a panting mess under him, his hands kneading his hips and his thighs. He could tell just by looking at the man that he wasn’t used to being a passive participant, but he could also feel it in the tension of his fingers. Raihan had a wild streak, Piers knew, and simply being ridden like a Tauros wasn’t going to satisfy those urges.

“ _ Piers _ … F-fuck… Arceus save me, I need…!”

“T-then take i— _ ah…! _ ”

Even with his words lost in a cry of bliss, Raihan knew what he was trying to say. His fingers on his hips became tight enough to bruise then as Raihan easily flipped him onto his back and got between his legs, immediately thrusting back into him. Piers gasped sharply and arched his back, gripping the blankets under him so tightly that his knuckles whitened a bit. Raihan fucked him good and hard, finding his prostate on nearly every thrust, and Piers loved every second of it. One of his hands shakily found his cock, pumping it in time with Raihan’s thrusts as he was pushed closer and closer to the edge. If the more frequent throbbing of Raihan’s cock inside him was anything to go by, he was getting close, too.

“Come for me, Piers,” Raihan panted, changing the angle of his hips slightly on his next thrust. “C’mon… Let me see it…”

“Raihan, I-I…  _ fuck _ , I’m…!” Piers nearly screamed as he came, throwing his head back into the pillows and giving his cock a firm squeeze as ropes of semen splashed onto his chest and stomach. Raihan shoved deep into him one more time as he too reached his climax, moaning Piers’s name and his eyes closing tight as he filled him up.

Piers felt boneless as he lay there under him, eyes closed and head still tilted back as he caught his breath. He felt like he was floating, in a way. He was only brought back to reality when he felt Raihan slip out of him, a strong but surprisingly gentle hand brushing thick, sweat-slicked hair away from his forehead. He opened his eyes slowly, looking up at the other man curiously.

_ This feeling… _

“You still with me, babe?” Raihan asked, grinning down at him. “Where’s your head at?”

Piers shook his head. “Sorry, just… catchin’ my breath.”

“Sure?” Raihan’s brow creased with concern for a moment. “Didn’t hurt you at the end there, did I?” When Piers shook his head again, he relaxed a bit.

“Get me a towel, would ya?” Piers said with a sigh. “I don’t wanna have to clean spunk off my duvet again before turnin’ in for the night.”

Raihan laughed and got up off the bed, wandering into the bathroom and bringing a towel back with him a few moments later. Piers reached for it but Raihan kept it from him, smiling. Piers just blinked at him, bewildered.

“Let me.” He wiped as much cum as he could from Piers’s body, ending by putting the towel between his legs to catch any that threatened to seep out of him. “There. Should probably take a shower though, just to be safe.”

“You take one first,” Piers said tiredly, draping an arm over his forehead and closing his eyes. “If I get up right now, I’ll fall over.”

“Fucked you good and proper, did I?” Raihan laughed when Piers glared at him and half heartedly punched him in the shoulder. “Okay, fine. Get the feelin’ back in your legs first, then maybe if I’m still in there when you do… you can join me.” He winked; Piers rolled his eyes. When Raihan got up and headed back to the bathroom, Piers couldn’t help but watch him as he left. His gaze wandered over those broad shoulders and that strong back to that sculpted ass and he swallowed heavily, mouth suddenly feeling very dry. The bathroom door closed and when he heard the shower running, Piers sighed and shook his head. 

_ The fuck am I doin’...? _

He was startled out of his reverie by the sound of his phone chiming on the nightstand. A text message. He reached for his phone and smiled when he saw that it was a text message from Marnie. She hadn’t been home in months since starting her Gym Challenge, so any communication he had with her always brought a smile to his face.

**_Saw a clip online of your concert tonight._ **

That wasn’t the message he had wanted to see. Piers scowled at the words on the screen for a few seconds before tapping out a reply.

**_Wankers clearly don’t know how to read. There’s literally a sign on the door before all my shows: NO RECORDING OF ANY KIND._ **

**_It’s a good thing you know. Got nearly a million hits within 30 minutes of him posting it. 700k likes, and counting._ **

Piers’s eyes widened. He reread those numbers at least eight times, and they still didn’t quite compute somehow. Suspicious, he narrowed his eyes in the direction of the bathroom door for a moment before responding.

**_Who posted the clip?_ **

**_Raihan, but no one who was there even saw him, according to comments. Did you see him there?_ **

_ I fucking knew it _ , Piers thought irritably. He couldn’t possibly tell Marnie that Raihan was taking a shower to wash off all the sweat from their fuck sesh, after all. As far as Marnie was concerned, he couldn’t stand the wanker. The only option he had was to lie to his little sister outright, and he felt dirty for doing it.

**_No._ **

**_Well, you should thank him next time you see him._ **

**_Thanks for the heads-up, sis. Xoxo_ **

**_Xoxo_ **

Piers got up and stormed over to the bathroom door, pushing it open angrily.

“You fuckin’ prick,” he snarled getting into the shower and shoving Raihan roughly against the tiled wall. Raihan exclaimed in shock, eyes wide when Piers suddenly attacked him.

“Whoa, whoa, chill! What did I do?” Raihan asked, frowning at him.

“Got an interesting text from Marnie just now. You posted a clip from my concert on social media without even bloody askin’ me first. You know how I feel about people recordin’ my shows!”

“ _ That’s _ what you’re foamin’ about? Babe, don’t you see? More people will come to your shows now that they know what they’re all about. It was only like… thirty seconds long, if that. A teaser, you could say. Wait… did she tell you how many views it got? I haven't actually had time to check."

"Almost a million in the first thirty," Piers answered grudgingly. 

"That's  _ awesome!  _ Piers, this could put Spikemuth back on the map for sure. Isn’t that what you want? So many more people will come to your concerts from now on."

Piers considered what Raihan was saying, a thoughtful frown on his face. As much as he hated to admit it, the dragon-type gym leader was right. The ones who came to his concerts were primarily Spikemuth citizens. Not a lot of tourists came to his city because his gym wasn’t near a Power Spot, which meant Dynamaxing his Pokemon was impossible. He battled the old fashioned way, and that just wasn’t exciting for anyone anymore. Maybe if his music was enough to bring more people through, his city would be able to flourish again.

“Alright, fine. I won’t tell you take down the video. Just… fuckin’  _ ask _ next time.” Piers blushed when Raihan grabbed his wrists and pinned him against the shower wall, looking up at him with wide eyes.

“Things are gonna get way better here in Spikemuth from now on, babe,” Raihan murmured, kissing down the side of Piers’s neck. “I promise.”

As Raihan’s hand started working him over again, pulling little gasps from his mouth that were largely disguised by the sound of the shower pouring over the two of them, Piers couldn’t help but wonder if he was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you next chapter!


	3. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piers wakes up in the morning to a delicious smell coming from the kitchen, and what he finds is quite a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a short and sweet transition chapter. The next one will hopefully be more interesting haha. Enjoy!

Piers wasn't a particularly heavy sleeper. Some nights, he was lucky to get any sleep at all. So, when his nose picked up a particularly out-of-place but delicious smell, he woke right up. He hummed tiredly and checked his phone for the time: eight A.M.

_ Too early, _ Piers thought irritably, running his fingers through his thick hair in an attempt to get the knots out of it. He sighed and reluctantly got out of bed, stretching and making his way out into the hall. The smell got stronger the closer he got to the stairs, and he winced when his stomach growled. Curious, he went downstairs. When he noticed a familiar backpack by the front door, his eyes widened with surprise. When had she gotten home? And, more importantly… she was  _ cooking? _

"Marnie?" he called, making his way into the living room to get to the kitchen. He paled more than usual when he realized it wasn't Marnie who was cooking.

"Morning!" Raihan said with a wide grin. He was standing at the stove, stirring whatever was making the smell that had woken him up. Curry, most likely. Marnie was seated at the kitchen table, her legs crossed at the ankles and her phone in her hands. She looked up upon hearing Raihan's exclamation, smiling slightly at her brother.

"Hey," she greeted. Morpeko chirped excitedly on the kitchen table and scurried over to Piers, jumping on him and scurrying up to his shoulder to give him a little nuzzle. He scratched the little Pokemon under the chin.

"When did…?" he started to ask.

"About an hour and a half ago. Then Raihan got here about… forty-five minutes ago?"

Piers relaxed, but only slightly. At least Raihan hadn't been there already when Marnie showed up. He had feared Raihan crashed on the sofa for the night instead of going back to his hotel room like he said he would, but that clearly wasn't the case. Thankfully, he didn't have to explain that one to his sister.

"What are you doin' home?" he asked as he sat beside Marnie at the table. "Did somethin' happen? If someone's givin' you problems—"

"Just wanted to congratulate you in person, and I think he came to do the same. Raihan's clip is already up to five mill."

Piers's mouth fell open. "You're messin' with me."

"She's not," Raihan said with a smirk, spooning some of his curry over a bowl of rice and putting it on the table in front of Piers. He didn't usually eat breakfast, but the smell was enough to make his mouth water. "Five million hits, nearly three million likes, half a million comments. See, bro? Social media isn't  _ all _ bad."

"Still full of Mandibuzz if you ask me," Piers mumbled, shaking his head and spooning some curry into his mouth. It tasted as rich as it smelled, and Piers made a mental note to tell Raihan he was a hell of a cook once Marnie wasn't in earshot. He had a reputation as a gloomy bastard with a great set of pipes to maintain, after all. It was a part he played well.

"Maybe so, but those Mandibuzz are gonna come flocking to your concerts like it's a buffet now that your voice is out there, mate, and I mean  _ really _ out there. Kalos, Alola, Johto, Unova…" Raihan counted on his fingers as he named off all the regions, setting a bowl of curry and rice down in front of Marnie.

"Yeah, I'm aware you have fans all over the fuckin' world, no need to rub it in," Piers said, glaring at him.

Raihan rolled his eyes. "Well now  _ you _ do, too." He went and got himself a bowl and sat down with the two siblings at the table, grinning at Piers as he watched him spoon some more into his mouth. 

"Good, right?" he said, picking up his spoon.

"It's edible," Piers answered.

"Oh, lighten up, it's fuckin' awesome," Marnie chimed in, offering Morpeko a spoonful of curry and smiling when it happily scarfed it down. 

" _ Marnie! _ " Piers exclaimed, eyes wide with shock as he looked at his sister.

"You swear all the time, Piers. In fact, you just did, not thirty seconds ago."

"I'm also twenty-three. You're fourteen. Do as I say, not as I do."

When Piers heard Raihan snickering across the table, he narrowed his eyes at him coolly and debated kicking him under the table. He refrained.

"Somethin' funny?"

“Not a thing.” 

_ Bastard, _ Piers thought irritably, eyebrow twitching slightly as he ate another spoonful of curry. He knew the game Raihan was playing: he wanted to see just how far he could push him while Marnie was around and he could do nothing without making her even remotely suspicious of his behavior. 

“So, Marnie,” Raihan began conversationally, smiling at her and completely ignoring the daggers Piers was glaring into the side of his head, “where are you in your Gym Challenge?”

“Beat Kabu yesterday,” she responded, shrugging as though it wasn’t a big deal. “His Centiskorch gave me some trouble, but I managed.” Piers swelled with pride and he couldn’t help but smile a bit to himself. Perhaps he had been wrong to worry so much about her; she seemed to be doing just fine.

“Nice job,” Raihan praised with a wide grin. “Look out, Piers, your own sis is comin’ for ya.”

“And when I do, you better not go easy on me just ‘cause you’re my brother,” Marnie said firmly, frowning at Piers.

“I’ll treat you how I treat any challenger who makes it this far.”

“You better. I’ll know if you aren’t.” Marnie finished her curry and got to her feet, and Morpeko ran up her arm to sit on her shoulder. “I’d best be off. Gotta head to Stow-on-Side next so I can knock that creepy kid down a notch.”

"Don't underestimate Allister because of his age," Piers warned, smiling slightly and pushing his chair out so he could stand up and walk with Marnie to the front door. He was grateful for the fact that Raihan remained in the kitchen so he could have at least a few minutes with her before she left home again. He watched as Marnie picked up her bag and slung it over her back, adjusting the straps around her shoulders so they weren't all twisted up.

"Not underestimating him. Just sayin' what's gonna happen," she said, crossing her arms.

Piers's expression softened slightly. "Listen, Marnie… I know you're havin' a grand time gettin' through the Gym Challenge and I know it requires a lot of training 'cause I've been through it myself. But, if you ever want to come home for a day or two to take a little break… you don't need to ask permission. This is your home as much as it's mine."

"Just say you miss me," Marnie teased with a little grin.

Piers chuckled quietly and shook his head, walking toward her. "Brat." He hugged her and pressed a little kiss to the top of her head, and his chest tightened when she hugged him back. He knew he could be overbearing sometimes, and he knew he had a tendency to worry too much, but Marnie was all he had.

"I love you, sis," he murmured.

"Love you, too." Marnie pulled away from the hug and smiled up at Piers before nodding in the direction of the living room and kitchen. "Try not to kill each other, yeah?"

"No promises." Piers watched as Marnie opened the door and left, sighing when it clicked shut behind her. He ran a hand through his hair, his other hand anxiously toying with the ring on the choker he always wore.

"She's gonna be fine, y'know," came Raihan's voice suddenly from his left. The man was leaning against the doorway to the living room, his arms crossed and a little smile on his face.

"I know," Piers muttered.

Raihan laughed softly and Piers frowned at him. "She's so like you, it's almost scary."

"We've been on our own since our mum died. I'm all the kid's got, so… o' course she's picked up some things from me along the way."

Raihan's smile fell and he rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, looking surprisingly contrite. "Sorry, I didnt… I didn't mean to bring all that up."

Piers shrugged and put his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants, walking past Raihan and back to the kitchen so he could finish his breakfast. "S'alright. Even when she was alive, she was hardly ever home. Some days, I felt more like a parent to that kid than her brother. Some days, I felt like I was the only one who gave a shit."

"That sounds rough," Raihan said as he followed him, sitting back down at the kitchen table and watching as Piers went back to eating his curry. "I never had any little brothers or sisters, so I can't imagine what that must've been like." 

When Piers finished his curry a few minutes later, Raihan grabbed the bowl from him and brought it over to the sink before he could protest.

"What'd you think of it?" he asked, turning on the tap and scrubbing the bowl clean. "Y'know, beyond it being 'edible.'"

"Honestly, it was pretty fuckin' good. Where'd you learn how to cook like that?"

"Self-taught."

Piers's eyebrows raised and he crossed his arms, clearly impressed.

"D'you want me to make it for you again sometime?"

"I won't say no, but… what are you playing at?"

Raihan looked over his shoulder at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"No way in hell you came here this morning just to make me breakfast. It's all just a bit too…  _ domestic _ for you." Piers got up and made his way over to Raihan, leaning his hip against the edge of the counter and looking up at him expectantly.

Raihan let out a quick laugh, his eyes roving briefly down Piers's body before fixing upon those icy eyes of his. He smirked, and Piers felt his heartbeat quicken. He knew that look all too well.

"You got me. I came here to fuck you senseless one more time before heading back to Hammerlocke, but when I got here, Marnie's the one who let me in. Couldn't very well eat you alive while a little girl was right downstairs, babe."

Piers swallowed heavily, mouth suddenly dry when that predatory look he was used to was fixed upon him.  _ This _ was familiar territory, and somehow, the thought of Raihan bending him over the counter and fucking him didn't make him nearly as uncomfortable and unsure as everything else had that morning.

"Well, it's just us now," he muttered, blushing deeply.

That was all the permission Raihan needed.


	4. Exhibition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piers loses a bet. Then, he has some quality time with his good friend Nessa.

Piers moaned softly as Raihan finished inside him, panting as he gradually came out of the blissed-out fog of his own orgasm. Raihan had, indeed, decided moving elsewhere was too much effort and had opted to take him on the kitchen table, which wasn’t the most comfortable surface in the house. Even the couch in the living room would have been preferable. He grunted when Raihan pulled out of him, wincing when he felt his cum slipping out of him and onto the kitchen table. 

“ _ You’re _ cleaning that up,” he breathed irritably. “Fuckin’ hell, the living room was  _ right there _ .”

Raihan laughed softly, grabbing a towel off the counter so he could clean up the mess he and Piers had both made. “Sorry; was feeling a little impatient.”

“Yeah, no shit.” Raihan hadn’t even taken their clothes off all the way. Piers could get behind a morning quickie, but this was just absurd. He got off the kitchen table and pulled his sweatpants back up his legs once he was sure he wouldn't get any cum on them, cheeks flushed. He was definitely going to need a shower.

"So," Raihan began, pulling his shorts back up and looking at Piers curiously, "you goin' to the exhibition match on Friday?"

"Nope."

Raihan sighed and crossed his arms, frowning. "You skipped out on the last two. Probably not a good idea to miss another, unless you like havin' Rose and his big-titty sidekick breathin' down the back o' your neck."

Piers had to laugh at Raihan's description of Oleanna, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He couldn't bring himself to like that woman in the slightest. Her brand of nice was the fake kind of nice; the kind that made him think she would very quickly stab someone in the back if it meant getting ahead. 

"I'm serious, babe. If you skip again, you could get your title taken away. Rose isn't above that sort of thing and you know it. What can I do to make you change your mind about skippin'?" Raihan asked. "C'mon, name your price."

Piers considered it for a minute, leaning back against the kitchen counter and taking a sip of coffee. He had to think of something good, something that Raihan would never be able to accomplish, if he had any hope of missing out on the pageantry and bullshit that came with every exhibition match.

He smirked, coming up with just the thing.

"Sell out my next month's worth of concerts by eight on Tuesday night," he mused, tapping his fingers thoughtfully against the side of his coffee mug. "Gives ya three days. If you can sell out my next four shows by then, I'll go to your bloody exhibition match. If you can't sell out  _ all four _ , I'm stayin' here."

"Done."

Piers blinked slowly at him, his smirk falling. "You're really  _ that _ confident?"

"Abso-fuckin'-lutely," Raihan answered, grinning widely. "Keep an eye on your ticket site, babe. It'll likely crash by the time I'm done with it." He ducked his head down to kiss him, nipping briefly at his lips before pulling away. "I've gotta get back to Hammerlocke, so I'll see you at the exhibition match."

"No you won't," Piers called after him as he left. When he heard the front door open and close, he scoffed and shook his head, taking another sip of coffee. 

_ Two shows sold out by Tuesday night might be doable, but four? Nah…  _

As it turned out, he was wrong to question Raihan's determination.

When Friday came and Piers showed up at Wyndon for the exhibition match, he had half a mind to turn around out of spite and just hail another Corviknight taxi back home. It still counted as him showing up, right?

Raihan had made good on his promise to crash his ticket site, and he had even beaten his Tuesday night deadline by nearly six hours. By two o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, when Piers had  _ finally _ been able to access his website again, he was stunned into silence when he saw that all of the tickets for his next four concerts had, in fact, sold out. Piers had never even sold out  _ one _ concert, so seeing that he had sold out  _ four _ was insane. By three o'clock, Raihan was texting him.

**_C u on Friday! :P_ **

_ Smug bastard, _ Piers thought irritably. He didn't even dignify the text message with a response.

So there he was three days later at Wyndon Stadium, making good on his word and trying to nurse his wounded pride. He made his way through the lobby of the large building and through a door on the right that only Rose, the gym leaders and the Champion had access to. Each gym leader had their own unique code to open the door, so once he put his in, it was as good as yelling "there, I fucking showed up" into Rose's ear with a megaphone. If anyone's code was missing from the access list, he would know immediately. On the other side of the door was a sort of lounge area where they could relax and unwind between battles and also to watch the matches in real-time on the large television until it was their turn to go out onto the pitch, but in Piers's opinion, it was sorely lacking in a lot of ways. The sofas and chairs were cushy, for sure — the best money could buy — but the overall feeling of the large room was strangely clinical. 

Too much practicality and not enough comfort, Piers would say. It served its purpose of giving them all a place to sit and chat away from screaming fans, and that was all.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to show. For a minute there, we thought you might've gotten lost!" Piers cringed inwardly when Leon approached him, wearing that gaudy cape of his as usual and a big, friendly smile on his face. Leon was always so animated, it made Piers feel exhausted just being around him. How could one man have so much optimism and energy all the time?

"That's rich, comin' from the only one 'ere who'd have trouble finding his own arse with both hands," Raihan said with a laugh, walking up beside Leon and punching him in the arm. Leon frowned at him, indignant.

"My sense of direction isn't  _ that _ bad!"

"It's pretty fuckin' bad, mate."

Piers slipped away from the two while they were talking and smiled faintly when he saw Nessa waving him over to where she was sitting with Milo and Melony. He and Nessa had been friends for years, so it was always a treat when he got to see her. Nessa stood up and hugged him when he approached, which he politely returned.

"Feels like it's been ages since we last saw each other," Nessa stated, holding Piers at arm's length as a smile lit up her pretty face. "How's Marnie?"

"Good. She came home for a spell on Saturday; said she got the fire badge from Kabu."

"That's great! And how are you? Raihan was tellin' us your next four concerts are completely sold out. You nervous about singing for that many people? I know you're used to smaller crowds." Nessa sat back down on the sofa and Piers joined her, leaning back against the plush cushions and crossing one leg over the other. He glanced briefly in Raihan's direction before answering.

"'Nervous' is probably too strong a word."

"That's the spirit," Melony chimed in with a little laugh. "Maybe one of these days, all of us can come see you in action. Well, except for Allister and Opal, of course. We've all seen Raihan's clip and you're very talented!"

Piers blushed, unaccustomed to getting such praise from Melony, of all people. She was a motherly sort, but he wasn't usually on the receiving end of it. It was kind of nice, strangely enough.

"That's, uh… very kind of you, Melony. Thanks."

The P.A. system in the lounge kicked on then with a pleasant chime, followed by Chairman Rose's unmistakable voice. 

"The first match will begin in approximately ten minutes," the voice said. "Raihan and Piers, please make your way to the pitch."

Piers's eyes widened. He was almost never in the first matchup at these things, and the fact that it was against Raihan…

"Up and at 'em," Raihan said smugly as he approached, grinning. "I'll try to go easy on ya, so try not to feel too bad when you lose again."

Piers glared up at him and got to his feet. "Firstly, you never go easy on anyone so I know you're not gonna start now. Second, this'll be the day you eat those words, dragon boy."

The battle was intense, as the battles between Piers and Raihan usually were. Piers, as usual, refused to Dynamax his Pokemon, but Raihan didn't have that handicap. Were it not for his Dynamaxed Duraludon, Piers would have won, and they both knew it. It was a  _ very _ close match, and the crowd loved every second of it. At the end of the battle, they walked toward each other on the pitch and shared the customary handshake, but the look in Raihan's eyes sent a chill through Piers's body, and it wasn’t the negative type of chill either. He knew what that look meant.

Piers made his way back to the lounge, punching his code into the keypad and entering the room with a sigh. Since he’d lost, it meant that he wouldn’t be engaging in anymore battles throughout the day, but he was still expected to stay all the way through to the end of the final match between Leon and whoever the overall winner was. It would likely be Raihan. It almost always was.

He laid down haphazardly on one of the empty sofas and clasped his hands behind his head, watching on the TV as the next battle began. It was Nessa and Milo this time, which was honestly a pretty unfair match where type advantage was concerned, but Nessa put up a great fight and, somehow, she ended up pulling the victory and moving on to the next round. Piers smiled, wondering if one of the matches later in the day would come down to Raihan and Nessa.  _ That _ would be an interesting one to watch.

Nessa came back to the lounge about ten minutes later, grinning when she saw Piers’s unmistakable hair draped over the arm of one of the sofas. She walked over to him and playfully smacked his foot, which was draped across the other arm of the sofa and keeping her from sitting down. He smirked at her, but he didn’t budge.

“Oi, move over!” Nessa said, grabbing Piers by the ankles and shoving his legs forcefully out of the way so she could flop down next to him. Piers laughed softly and moved over so Nessa could sit down, draping his arms casually across the back of the sofa as he regarded her with a smile.

"That was a hell of a battle," Piers said. "Well done."

"You too," Nessa answered. "But, if you had just Dynamaxed Obstagoon—"

Piers sighed. "We've been through this, Ness. It's not natural for Pokemon to battle that way, and I won't put mine through it."

Nessa frowned. She could understand where Piers was coming from. She loved her Pokemon as much as he loved his, after all, and she would do anything for them. However, there was no evidence that Dynamaxing was harmful. In her mind, he was just being stubborn.

"Well, isn't  _ this _ cozy." Raihan walked up behind them, wiping some sweat from his brow with a towel and draping it around his shoulders when he was done with it. "There enough room in this sexy sandwich for me?"

"Oh fuck off," Piers mumbled, rolling his eyes and looking away. Even before he and Raihan started having sex on a regular basis, it wasn't a rare occurrence for Raihan to refer to him as sexy, so no one would find it particularly strange. Raihan did it to pretty much everyone, except for Opal and Allister, who were far too old and far too young, respectively.

"Aw c'mon, I want a cuddle."

"Who are you going up against next?" Nessa inquired, unfazed by Raihan's behavior.

"Kabu. Then you’ll be going up against either Melony or Opal, depending on how the next matchup turns out."

Piers tensed when Raihan casually wrapped his arms around him from behind and he struggled, eyes wide. What was he playing at? Didn't he know how dangerous this was? If anyone found out about them…

"Didn't I tell ya to fuck off?" he snapped.

Raihan pouted. "You're no fun." He released him then and walked off, much to Piers's relief. He sighed and calmed himself as best he could, his heart pounding. Why was he letting Raihan affect him so much?

"Alright?" Nessa asked, tilting her head to the side as she regarded Piers with a curious look in her eyes.

"Yeah, fine," Piers answered, trying not to answer too quickly so he wouldn't arouse any suspicion. "Raihan is just too much for me to handle most days; you know that. He's just so…" He trailed off, searching for the right word but coming up empty.

"Overwhelming?" Nessa laughed. "That's just how he is. If he likes someone, he lets them know it in the most obnoxious way possible. Just means he thinks of you as a good friend. You should see how he acts around Leon."

Something about that made Piers's chest tighten.  _ Why does that piss me off so much? _ "I guess…"

Nessa searched his face for a moment, thoughtful, before shrugging and dropping the subject. She yawned quietly into the back of her hand, leaning a bit more heavily against Piers's side. He smiled slightly, trying to pretend that Nessa's mention of Raihan and Leon didn't bother him.

"Get some sleep, Ness. You look tired."

"A little nap couldn't hurt," Nessa answered with a smile. "D'you mind?"

"Nah, go ahead."

Nessa tilted her head against Piers's shoulder and closed her eyes, her breathing gradually evening out as she dozed.

  
  


The next couple of hours wore on, and eventually, they were down to the final match which, of course, was between Raihan and Leon. Raihan had absolutely  _ crushed _ Nessa in the penultimate match of the day, and now Piers was standing in the lounge, arms crossed, as he watched the two friends battle it out. Nessa stood beside him when she came back into the lounge, glancing sidelong at him before looking at the television right along with him.

"Think he might win this time?" Nessa mused.

Piers just shrugged. "Dunno… Maybe." He couldn't take his eyes off the screen for even a second. The way the camera zoomed in on that fire in Raihan's eyes, clearly showing how much he was throwing everything he had into the battle… It was a sight to behold. It was a sight Piers had seen many times before, but this time, it was different.

This time, whenever the camera focused on Raihan, something stirred within him and his heart felt like a desperate creature trying to smash its way out of a cage.

As expected, Raihan lost. The battle had been very,  _ very close _ , but as always, Leon was able to pull through as the victor. Leon didn't become Champion on his looks alone, though that was a big part of why he was so popular: he was a master when it came to battling. Even so, Piers couldn't help but wish someone would wipe the pitch with him someday. His ego needed to be deflated a little or he would start having trouble getting his head through the stadium doors.

Piers watched as Raihan and Leon shook hands before the dragon-type gym leader pulled him into a short hug and clapped him on the back in congratulations.

"He'll win one of these days," Kabu mused from the other side of the room, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. "That was the closest match I've seen between them."

"Somethin' really fired him up out there, that's for sure," Nessa agreed, hands on her hips.

"He's a show-off," Piers added, toying with his choker as he finally looked away from the TV.

"I mean, obviously. But… I dunno. It was different somehow."

"Can we go now?" Allister chimed in, his legs kicking slowly against the sofa he was sitting on. "I-I mean… that's the end, right? I'm gettin' hungry…"

"As far as  _ I'm  _ concerned, it's the end," Piers sighed. "I've gotta get back to Spikemuth. Got a sold-out concert to prepare for."

"Have lunch with me," Nessa said to him with a grin. "There's a nice little cafe right 'round the corner. Just opened up, and I've been meanin' to try it. C'mon, my treat."

She didn't give him a chance to refuse before she was grabbing his hand and pulling him from the lounge. Wherever they were going, Piers was clearly just along for the ride. He didn’t mind much, though. It wasn’t often that he and Nessa got to hang out. 

It took longer for them to get to the cafe than Piers thought it would, but not because it was far away from the stadium. They kept getting stopped by fans, and what shocked him most was that they all claimed to be fans of  _ his _ , not Nessa's. More specifically, fans of his music. One of them even had a copy of one of his CDs, which were available for sale on his website but that he never advertised anywhere other than at his concerts. He wasn't used to being approached by fans of his music outside of Spikemuth, so even though he signed autographs and took photos when they were requested, he honestly didn't know how to respond to all of the support. It was truly mind-blowing.

He was relieved when they finally got to the cafe and he practically fell into one of the chairs at a table as far away from the windows as he could find.

"Finally… I had no idea walkin' the hundred yards to this place would take fuckin' thirty minutes."

Nessa laughed as she sat down across from him, clasping her fingers under her chin and fixing him with a smug grin.

"That's what happens when people all over Galar are finally seeing how awesome you are off the pitch and how nice your legs look in fishnets."

Piers slid down a bit in his chair as though trying to disappear, blushing. 

"Fuckin' hell, Nessa, keep your voice down…"

"Aww, am I embarrassing you?" Nessa giggled innocently. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. What do you want to eat, sexy legs?"

"Arceus save me,  _ enough _ ," Piers groaned. "I know you said you'd buy, but I'll bloody pay for yours  _ and _ mine if it means you stop."

Nessa pouted. "Oh, fine." A waitress wearing what looked suspiciously like a maid outfit sauntered over to their table and took their order, looking absolutely starstruck by the fact that she was talking to Nessa. When she wandered off to get their order, Nessa adopted a more friendly, less professional demeanor once again. They talked about everything and nothing all at once, and Piers enjoyed every second of it. Nessa was one of the few real friends he could say he had, and at one time when he was younger, he'd even had a small crush on her. When they were going through their Gym Challenge together, Piers didn't talk much to anyone. Even then, he was a loner: shy and withdrawn. She pulled him out of the shell he'd crafted for himself and decided he was her friend and just like that, it became reality.

The waitress brought their food and their tea to the table just ten minutes later and Piers was all too happy to dig into the slice of Cheri berry pie that he had gotten to accompany his Roserade tea. 

"So," Nessa began as Piers took a sip of his tea, "is Raihan's cock as big as I think it is?"

Piers nearly choked on the hot beverage, sputtering and blushing deeply at the suddenness of the question and the crassness of the language. It wasn't like Nessa to speak like that in public, so it was very jarring. She laughed when she managed to get such an honest reaction out of him and it took Piers several seconds to stop coughing and reply in any intelligible way, tears in the corners of his eyes from the force of his coughing.

"Nessa, what—?!"

"I've known you for nearly ten years, love; you're like an open book to me now." Nessa's eyes glinted deviously at him from over her own teacup, a thin eyebrow raising as though in challenge. "I saw how you were looking at him on the telly during his match with Leon. Then there was that  _ serious  _ eye-fucking that the two o' you had goin' at the end of  _ your _ match even before that. Need I go on?"

"That's not—  _ We're _ not—"

" _ Piers. _ Relax. I'm not judging you; you're my friend. Whatever you tell me, it stays between us. I promise."

Piers hesitated, remaining silent for a minute and looking around to make sure they weren't being overheard before saying anything. When he did speak, it was in a hushed tone.

"Fine, I admit it: we've had sex."

"Just once?"

Piers shook his head.

"Twice?"

Another shake of his head.

"More than three times?"

Piers's blush deepened and became incredibly obvious on his pale complexion as he nodded.

Nessa let out a long whistle, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms as she regarded him with wide eyes.

"How many times?"

"Dunno. Uh… eight, maybe?"

" _ Eight! _ Just how long has this been goin' on?"

"About a month."

Piers spent the next ten minutes answering Nessa's questions, somehow feeling more comfortable as time went on. Telling Nessa all of it was fine; he knew she meant it when she said she wouldn't tell anyone. He just had to be careful that no one else was listening in on their conversation.

"So, let me get this straight. Raihan randomly showed up to one of your concerts a month ago, you invited him back to your place, had a few drinks with him… then proceeded to go at it like a couple of Persian in heat?"

"That's the long and the short of it, yeah."

"I don't think  _ short _ has anything to do with anything you just told me," Nessa laughed. "You still haven't answered my first question. How big?"

"For fuck's sake, Ness—"

"Just indulge me, would you? You're a little under six inches, if I'm remembering correctly."

Before Raihan, Piers had only ever slept with three other people. Nessa was one of them, though it had been a couple of years since then. She wasn't his first, but she  _ was _ the first woman he'd ever slept with. The two were having a few drinks at her place and having a grand time, one thing led to another, and they had sex right there on her sofa. They both agreed it was a one-time thing, just two friends having fun, and they left it at that. No weirdness, no awkwardness: just a thing that happened.

"You are remembering correctly."

"I do tend to remember things I enjoyed," Nessa said with a playful wink that made Piers blush. "Anyway, give me a number."

"Dunno, I didn't actually take a bloody ruler to it. If I had to guess, though… eight, maybe eight and a half."

"Wow, okay. He's tall, so that's not  _ too _ surprising, but… Piers, you lucky bastard."

"Oh, come off it…"

Nessa giggled and lightly nudged Piers's leg under the table with her foot, smiling at him. "I'm happy for you, mate. I have to say, though… he's not the type of person I envisioned you falling for."

Piers's eyes widened and once again, his heart felt like it was going to pound right out of his chest at the implication.  _ Fuckin' hell, what's wrong with me? _

"We're not— It's just sex, Nessa. A casual thing, like you and I that one time. Nothin' to get all soppy over. He comes to my concerts, we fuck, then he leaves."

"Sounds more like you're trying to convince  _ yourself _ that there's nothing there."

Piers knew Nessa was right. Who was he trying to convince more: himself, or her? He been feeling strange all day, whenever Raihan was near. There was lust there, sure. That was a feeling he was all too familiar with. Under that, though, there was something else he couldn't put a name to. A warm feeling that started in his chest and blossomed outward, prickling in his veins and fluttering in his stomach like a flock of Butterfree.

"I…" Piers sighed and looked down at his half-eaten piece of pie, frowning and clenching his hands into fists on his knees. "...don't know." He spoke so softly that Nessa had trouble hearing him.

"Sorry?"

"I don't  _ know _ , Ness." His tone was harsher and more snappy than he intended, but Nessa didn't appear to be letting it bother her. She was looking at him so fondly that it almost made him feel uncomfortable. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and sighed, pulling it out and seeing that there was a new text message from Raihan. He hesitated before opening it.

**_Rose of the Rondelands. Rm 301. 1 hour._** **_Got a present 4 u._**

_ He's calling his cock a gift now? _ Piers wanted so badly to roll his eyes, but he refrained and tapped out a succinct reply even as Nessa regarded him curiously from across the table.

**_OK._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, Piers is catching feeeeeeliiiinnnggggssss.
> 
> I love the idea of Piers and Nessa being friends, so I just had to write a chapter with a moment between the two of them, haha. For anyone who's curious about the rare Piers/Nessa pairing, I will be writing a one-shot after this fic has been completed, centered around when Piers and Nessa had sex. I mostly want to write it as a self-indulgent thing, but I'll upload it here on AO3 just in case anyone else wants to read it.
> 
> See you in the next one!


	5. The Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piers goes to the Rose of the Rondelands Hotel fully expecting a frenzied roll in the sheets with everyone’s favorite selfie fiend. What Raihan has in store for him instead is something he never expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some fluff for you all in this one. Enjoy!

“Raihan lookin’ for an afternoon shag?” Nessa asked as Piers stowed his phone back in his pocket, grinning knowingly at him as she set her empty teacup back down on its little saucer.

“Claims he’s got a gift for me,” Piers answered, knowing there was no point in lying to her. She clearly knew how to sniff out a lie, at least when he was the one doing it.

“Oh yeah, he’s a gift, alright. A real treasure. All eight inches of ‘im.”

“ _ Ness _ , for the love of—”

“Sorry, sorry. Couldn’t help it.”

Piers rolled his eyes and waved the waitress over, chuckling quietly to himself when she nearly tripped over herself while hurrying over.

“Something else I can get for you two?” she asked shyly, lowering her gaze for a moment when Piers smiled at her.

“Just the check, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“S-sure, be right back!” She scurried off and Nessa giggled as she watched her.

“She’s a cutie,” she mused, biting her lip softly in thought. “Nice figure, too.”

“Thinkin’ about recruitin’ her to your agency, then?” Piers asked. “Seems too clumsy to me for high heels on a runway, but you’re the expert.”

“I was a klutz too, back in the day. I learned.”

“True enough. Well, while you’re recruitin’ some fresh new talent, I’m gonna get goin’. Thanks for the pie and the tea.” Piers got to his feet and pushed his chair in, taking a few bills out of his pocket and setting them down on the table. When Nessa protested, he assured her it was just enough to cover the tip and promised to text her later before turning on his heel and making his way out of the cafe.

Thanks to the Wyndon Monorail, Piers arrived at the Rose of the Rondelands Hotel with five minutes to spare. It was a very posh hotel and just the sort of building that made Piers feel very out of place and uncomfortable. Even so, he was a gym leader and could go pretty much wherever he wanted without question, so when he walked into the hotel, he just greeted the young man at the front desk and was allowed upstairs without even having to check in.

Piers saved some time by taking the elevator up to the third floor instead of the stairs, heading down to the other end of the hall to Room 301. He rapped lightly on the polished wooden door with his knuckles when he found it, and Raihan opened it for him barely ten seconds later. His headwear was nowhere to be seen, and instead of his trademark hoodie and shorts, he was wearing a simple black tank top and a pair of navy blue pajama pants. Clearly, he was settled in for the night. The dark-skinned man smiled down at him.

"Right on time," he said. "Come in." He stepped aside and Piers walked past him into the unnecessarily large hotel room, hearing Raihan shut the door behind him. Piers turned around to face him, taking off his jacket and dropping it unceremoniously on the floor.

"Not the prettiest wrapping on a gift," he stated, looking Raihan over with a little smirk as he approached him. "But, I suppose it doesn't matter. Wrapping's gonna come off soon enough."

He pushed Raihan up against the door and moved his hand around to the back of his neck, pulling him down to his level and capturing his lips in a kiss. Raihan hummed into the kiss and rested his hands on his sides to hold him closer, but when he broke the kiss just a few seconds later, Piers frowned up at him, puzzled. Wasn't this why Raihan called him here? And what was with that pleased-with-himself grin on his face?

"What?" he asked, brow furrowed.

"Nothin', nothin'. As much as I would  _ love _ for this to continue, I'm actually not the present I mentioned."

_ Well, that's a surprise. _ Piers let go of Raihan and crossed his arms, unable to help his curiosity. 

"You mean to tell me you actually bought me somethin'?"

"Not exactly."

"Then what…?"

Raihan nudged Piers over toward the large bed and gestured for him to sit down, which he did, albeit with a confused expression on his face. The taller man left the room then and headed into the bathroom, talking to him as he rustled around in there with… something. Piers couldn't see what he was doing.

"When I got to Wyndon last night, I happened across some arsehole kids on my way to the hotel," Raihan began. "They were kickin' somethin' and havin' a laugh about it, and I had a bad feelin' so I walked up to 'em. They were kickin' a Pokemon."

Piers scowled at the thought, anger rising within him. He had seen Pokemon getting abused or abandoned before, and it never ceased to disgust him that there were people in the world who were so heartless.

"Fuckin' pricks," Piers grumbled, crossing his arms and trying to see what Raihan was doing in the bathroom. "I would've beaten the shit outta them if I caught anyone doing somethin' like that."

"Oh, I really wanted to. When I got closer and saw what they were up to, I yelled at 'em and they took off runnin' like a bunch of Wimpod when they saw who I was." Raihan stood up and walked back into the room, holding a towel-wrapped bundle in his arms. He sat down on the bed with Piers, holding the bundle carefully on his lap. "The Pokemon was hurt pretty bad, so I scooped it up and brought it to the Pokemon Center to get fixed up. Since it didn't have a master, the nurse told me I should take it with me and give it a good home."

As if on cue, the bundle in Raihan's arms moved and Piers's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. Raihan grasped part of the towel and pulled it up, revealing what was underneath. Two large ears stuck straight up from soft, purple fur once the towel was no longer holding them down, and two large honey-colored eyes blinked up at Piers curiously from Raihan's lap. It was a baby Noibat. The small creature chirped at him softly, sniffing the air.

Raihan's expression softened when he saw the bewilderment on Piers's face and he carefully handed the bundle over to him. Piers hesitated, his eyes wide.

"I thought, who could possibly be better at taking care of a hurt, scared little baby than someone who's got years of experience in raising one?" 

Piers knew Raihan was referring to what he'd told him about feeling more like a parent than a big brother to Marnie ever since she was very little, and a slow smile spread across his face. He accepted the bundle gently, holding the Noibat as though he were afraid to accidentally hurt it. He started petting its soft fur and it cooed happily, nuzzling into his palm.

"What a little cutie," Piers murmured. "Of course I'll take care of it, if it has nowhere else to go. But, Noibat is a dragon type… I don't know the first thing about dragons."

"Well lucky for you, I'm an expert," Raihan stated with a fanged smirk. "I'd be more than happy to help you out, babe. What d'you say, Noibat? You wanna go home with Piers?"

Noibat chirped excitedly in response and scrabbled at Piers's shirt with the little claws on its wings, crawling its way up his side and around to his back so that it could snuggle up under his long hair. Piers laughed quietly, enamored by the cute little creature.

"It's settled then," he said, grabbing an empty Pokeball off his belt and holding it up to Noibat. Noibat sniffed curiously at the device for a moment before touching its nose to the button on the front and the Pokeball opened, engulfing it in light. It disappeared into the Pokeball and the button blinked a few times before stopping. Just like that, Noibat was officially his.

"This definitely wasn't the kind of gift I was expecting when I got here," Piers said with a little chuckle, smiling at Raihan. "This was… a really nice gesture. Thank you."

Raihan blushed when Piers gave him such a genuine smile, eyes widening slightly. The tinge of pink on his cheeks didn't escape Piers's notice, and his heart fluttered. 

"You're welcome. I just really wanted to help the poor thing, y'know?"

They fell silent then, and for a moment, Piers debated with himself on what to do. Should he say something? Should he do something? Could Raihan hear the beating of his heart in the silence of that hotel room? Nessa's words from earlier echoed at the back of his mind: " _ He's not the type of person I envisioned you falling for." _

Before Piers had to start thinking about how to break the uncomfortable silence, he felt Raihan's hand come up to cup his cheek and he bit his lip softly, looking into Raihan's eyes. He expected to see hunger there, like he had at the end of their match that morning, but it was surprisingly absent. In its place was a warmth that he'd never seen there before, and somehow, it scared him. At least, it  _ felt _ like fear. He swallowed heavily. Why did this feel so different from every other encounter they'd had over the past month?

"I should go," he murmured.

"No," Raihan replied, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "Stay." His hand slid down to his jaw and his thumb moved to brush softly across Piers's bottom lip. He inwardly started to panic, and even though he knew there shouldn't be a place for such panic, he couldn't stop it. Whatever this was, it was happening too fast. Raihan leaned in closer, and Piers shivered slightly at the sensation of his warm breath washing across his lips.

"I… I have a concert to prepare for." Excuses, excuses.

"Piers." Their lips touched and just like that, his next protest melted on his tongue. Piers's eyes fluttered closed as he returned the kiss, one of his hands resting on the bed and the other settling on Raihan's knee. Raihan teased his lips with his tongue and they parted to allow entry, a quiet gasp escaping him. It was just a kiss, but something about it was affecting him so much more than kisses usually did. He felt Raihan's free hand slide across his as it rested on the bed, their fingers entwining. His touch was uncharacteristically gentle, and it threw him for a loop.

Raihan started gradually pushing him down onto his back and he let him, in spite of the anxiety bubbling up in the pit of his stomach. Raihan had never treated him so softly before, like he was likely to break at any second if he was too rough with him. Piers didn't know what to do with his hands, so he just opted for resting them on the other man's chest as he was swept away by the sweetness of his kiss.

Raihan's lips parted from his a minute later and he looked down at him with apparent concern, realizing that something was off but not being able to pinpoint what it was.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Y-yeah, just…" Piers swallowed heavily, gazing up at Raihan as though he were seeing him for the first time. 

" _ He's not the type of person I envisioned you falling for." _

"'Just'...?" Raihan prompted when he didn't finish his thought.

_ Fuck, _ Piers thought.  _ I really am falling for him, aren't I? _

Once he was able to admit that fact, the sense of panic inside him slowly dissipated.

He smiled slightly at the other man and slowly wrapped his arms around his neck, eyes shimmering.

"It's nothing," he murmured. He pulled Raihan down for another kiss and just like that, the conversation was over. 

Garments were shed more slowly than usual as they kissed, a quiet sigh of bliss lost against Raihan's lips as Piers felt one of his hands trailing feather-light touches down the side of his body. Normally, even their foreplay was hot and heavy, but not today. Raihan was touching him like he was something precious, and it was almost painfully intimate. Raihan laid a trail of soft kisses down the center of his torso as he moved down his body, and even the way he took him into his mouth and swirled his tongue around the tip was careful; calculated. Piers uttered a quiet moan, tipping his head back and resting a hand on the back of Raihan's head to encourage him.

He nearly whined when Raihan stopped what he was doing, but then he saw him grab a bottle of lube from near the pillows and he shivered pleasantly with anticipation, pupils dilating. He started to roll over onto his stomach, but he stopped when Raihan gave his hip a little squeeze. 

"I want to see your face," Raihan said, smiling.

Piers chuckled softly and did as Raihan asked, staying on his back and watching him spread lube on his fingers from under his long eyelashes. "You gettin' soppy on me, dragon boy?"

"What if I am?"

Piers blushed deeply. He had been expecting some kind of smartass response, but the tone in Raihan's voice was definitely not sarcastic.

"What…?" Raihan slid two fingers into him then, and a shaky gasp escaped him.

"If I told you that seeing Nessa napping on your shoulder today pissed me off way more than it should have; that I wanna be more than just your dirty little secret… what would you say?"

Piers put some serious thought into the question, but every time he had a grasp on how he was going to answer, Raihan curled his fingers inside him in a way that made his mind go completely blank.

"Makin' it very hard f-for me to…  _ ah! _ … to say anything right now," he panted, glaring at him half-heartedly. Raihan grinned and stopped fingering him, lightly running his hands up and down his inner thighs instead while he waited.

"I'd say that… your sense of when to ask someone out is a bit… backwards."

Raihan's smile dropped.

"You're supposed to ask someone out,  _ then _ go on a few dates,  _ then _ get them in bed." The corner of Piers's mouth lifted into a small smirk when Raihan blushed and stared at him as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"So, are you… are you sayin'  _ yes _ , or…?" Piers only nodded and once Raihan saw that, he nothing short of attacked his lips with a kiss before uttering a small laugh of relief and resting his forehead against his. "Might not let you sleep tonight. Hope you realize that."

"I have a sold-out concert to prepare for tomorrow night, y'know, thanks to you… If I don't get  _ some _ sleep, I'll be in trouble. You willin' to take responsibility for that?"

"Okay, okay. I'll let you get _ some _ sleep. Later. But first… where were we?" Raihan slid his hand between Piers's legs and pushed two fingers into him again, swallowing his soft moan with a kiss. Piers shuddered and gasped into the kiss when Raihan's fingers almost immediately found his prostate, rubbing against it in such a way that it resulted in a slow burning pleasure trembling up his spine, rather than feeling like lightning bolts shooting through him.

Ordinarily, Piers would have started feeling impatient by minute five of Raihan teasing him with his fingers, but not today. Today, Raihan was playing him like a finely tuned instrument, and he was loving every second. When he eventually felt his fingers slide out of him and leave him empty and wanting, he whimpered quietly.

"Please," he panted, giving himself a few careful strokes to take the edge off. Raihan knelt between Piers's legs and spread some lube on his cock before pushing into him with a quiet groan. Piers keened and wrapped his arms around him, his knees draped around Raihan's hips as he pressed forward to meet him.

" _ Fuuuck _ , how are you still so tight, babe?" Raihan breathed, biting his lip when he felt his inner walls squeeze around him. When he finally started moving, the pace was as gentle and slow as his fingers had been, and Piers loved it. This was the softest sex he'd ever experienced, and he was amazed at how much better it felt in some ways. He gasped and moaned Raihan's name any time he ground against that spot deep inside him, hiding his face against the side of his neck.

"Hey, none of that," Raihan whispered, nuzzling him and cupping his cheek in his palm as he smiled down at him. "Don't hide." He pulled Piers into a kiss and his careful thrusts continued for what simultaneously felt like an eternity and yet somehow not long enough. Piers could feel the beginning tremors of an orgasm bubbling up in his gut and his legs trembled around Raihan's hips. His arms wrapped tighter around him, his soft moans increasing slightly in pitch.

"Gonna come," he whispered against Raihan's lips, his voice thick with pleasure.

"Me too… Together, c'mon…" Raihan's hand found his cock and stroked it in time with his gentle thrusts and within minutes, Piers's head fell back against the bed and his mouth opened in a silent cry as he came, coating his stomach and Raihan's hand with it. Raihan filled him up a few moments later, moaning quietly against the side of his neck. 

Piers's mind felt fuzzy as he laid there with his eyes closed, slowly but surely coming back to his senses. He was vaguely aware of Raihan pulling out of him and a few moments later, he felt the softness of a hotel-provided towel cleaning the cum off his body. Piers couldn't remember a time when he'd ever felt so relaxed after sex. He almost felt like he was going to fall asleep.

"Still with me?" Raihan asked, and Piers opened his eyes slightly and turned onto his side to look at him.

"Yeah…" Piers looked at Raihan inquisitively for a few moments, a thoughtful little frown on his face.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Raihan gently pushed a lock of hair behind Piers's ear, watching him sleepily.

"Did you mean it? Y'know… when you said you wanna make this official."

"You really think I'd just say shit like that if I didn't mean it?" Raihan sounded almost offended and he frowned at the implication. 

"It's just… I'm not exactly used to people asking me out on dates and shit. It's never happened before."

" _ Never? _ " When Piers shook his head, Raihan smiled slightly and moved closer to him, wrapping an arm around him. "So… I'm your first boyfriend. Nice."

Piers blushed. The idea of calling Raihan his boyfriend was very strange, but kind of nice. He yawned quietly, the day's events finally catching up to him now that he felt so relaxed in Raihan's arms. He felt Raihan trying to tug the blanket out from under him so they could both lay under it and he got up just long enough to let him, humming with contentment as the warmth of the bed and the heat of Raihan's body seeped into him.

"Goodnight, baby," Raihan whispered, arms wrapped loosely around him. Piers scooted closer so that he was pressed right up against Raihan's chest, nuzzling his head up under the taller man's chin. He felt Raihan's arms tighten ever so slightly around him and within minutes, he was drifting on the gentle waves of sleep.


	6. Give and Take

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raihan wants to go public with their relationship on his social media, and Piers agrees to let him... on one condition.

Morning came all too soon. Piers slowly opened his eyes as he was awakened by the sound of the shower running, groaning irritably and burying his face deeper into the soft pillows.  _ Five more minutes…  _ He was just about to doze off again when he heard his phone going off somewhere on the floor beside the bed, where his clothes had been discarded the previous night. He cursed under his breath and fumbled around for his phone, on autopilot as he answered it and brought it to his ear without seeing who it was.

"Hullo?" he said sleepily.

"You never called me last night, so I figured I’d call you,” came Nessa’s voice through the phone, and he could have sworn he heard a smirk in there somewhere. “How’s your arse?”

Piers couldn’t help but snort at that and he shook his head, rolling over onto his back and smiling.

“It’s fine, thank you.”

“Dumb question, in retrospect,” Nessa mused. “If it wasn’t fine, you wouldn’t look so utterly relaxed and  _ adorable _ in this picture.”

Piers blinked dumbly, and it took a minute for him to process what she’d just said. He frowned. “What picture?”

“The one Raihan texted me a little while ago. That bed looks really, really cozy.”

Piers’s grip on his phone tightened a little bit and he inhaled slowly through his nose to calm himself. He had just woken up; it was far too early in the day for him to be getting angry. Even so, he felt it boiling inside him.

“I’m gonna have to call you back, Ness,” he said calmly, sitting up.

“Why?”

“‘Cause I’m gonna fuckin’ kill him.”

Nessa laughed. "Don't go killin' your boyfriend on my account, love. I'm the one who asked him for a picture. Congrats, by the way: he mentioned in his text that you're official now."

Piers blushed and swallowed heavily, calming down somewhat. Nessa asking for a photo was way less infuriating than Raihan just sending her one completely unprompted. 

"Um… yeah. Thanks."

"You gonna go public with it?"

Piers honestly hadn't thought ahead that far. Everything happened so quickly that he hadn't really had time to consider what would happen next. He remembered Raihan saying he didn't want to be his dirty little secret anymore, but beyond that, they hadn't discussed it.

"I don't really know. I mean, o'course people are gonna find out eventually, but… I don't really like the idea of my personal life bein' out there for everyone to see."

"And you and I both know Raihan is all about that life. It's practically his brand to be a camwhore," Nessa sighed. "Have a chat with him about it; let me know what he says. In the meantime, I've gotta run. I have a photoshoot to finish getting ready for."

They said their goodbyes and Piers set his phone aside on the nightstand, sighing and getting off the bed. He needed a shower before heading out, and Raihan was taking his sweet time, so there were really only two options: wait, which he didn't want to do, or share the shower. He made his way into the steam-filled bathroom and pulled the curtain aside, his gaze trailing hotly down Raihan's strong, wet back before the man realized he was there.

"Morning, sexy," Raihan greeted with a grin. "I was hopin' you'd join me, but you looked so damn cute, I didn't wanna wake you."

"How considerate," Piers chuckled, getting into the shower and closing the curtain. He stood with his back to Raihan, face tipped upward as he enjoyed the hot water spraying against his front. He hummed when he felt Raihan wrap his arms around him from behind and he leaned back into the touch, glancing over his shoulder.

"So, uh… we need to talk."

"Uh-oh. Been your boyfriend for less than twelve hours and I'm already in trouble." Raihan frowned. "What did I do?"

"Hopefully nothing. That photo you sent to Nessa… you didn't post it anywhere public, right?"

"No. I thought about it, but I had a feeling you'd murder me if I did."

Piers smiled slightly. "I'm not saying we  _ can't _ go public, Raihan. We just have to be real careful how we do it… I hate social media; that's no secret. If people see us kissing in public, whatever. But I don't like the idea of my personal life being out there on the internet for everyone to just look at whenever they want."

"I get it, but… the occasional photo of us together won't hurt you. Is it so wrong for me to wanna show you off?"

"I've never been a show-off, Raihan."

"Then let  _ me _ be the show-off  _ for you _ ," Raihan said with a smirk. "I would love to be your unofficial photographer."

Piers thought about it for a few minutes, letting the water pour over him as Raihan held him in his arms and kissed idly along the side of his neck. Maybe Raihan had a point. Something about the thought still didn't sit right with him, though.

That was when an idea struck him, and he smirked slightly as he mulled it over.

"Oooh, I like that look. What are you thinkin' about?" Raihan asked.

"Provided none of the goods are on display, I'll let you post that picture you took of us this morning on your social media for your fans to scream over.  _ But _ … you have to do something for me first."

"Name it."

"You've gotta let me fuck you."

Raihan's eyes widened slightly with surprise and his cheeks visibly flushed. "Uh… alright. Just name a time and place, and we can—"

"Here and now," Piers interrupted, turning in Raihan's arms and pushing him up against the shower wall with his body. He brought a hand down to tease softly along Raihan's cock, which stirred faintly with interest at the contact. Raihan gasped quietly, not used to Piers being so assertive. He swallowed heavily, biting his lip with one of his fangs when Piers started stroking him more insistently. Piers grinned up at him, bringing his mouth to one of his nipples and flicking his tongue teasingly across the pert nub. It didn't take long at all for Raihan's cock to stand at full attention in response to Piers's ministrations and once it did, he wrapped his hand around it and gave it a few firm strokes.

"Fuuuck, babe," Raihan breathed, inhaling sharply when Piers lightly bit his nipple. "You don't wanna do this somewhere more comfortable?"

"Here's fine," Piers answered with a shrug. "You didn't seem to have a problem with fucking me in the shower last week."

"Y-yeah, well…"

"Wait." Piers's hand paused on Raihan's cock and he looked up at him with wide eyes as something occurred to him that he'd never even considered. "Have you never…?"

Raihan remained silent.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"You said last week after my concert that you're not used to doin' it that way, so I figured that meant you just don't do it very often. But,  _ never? _ " When Raihan shook his head, Piers smiled and stood on his toes to kiss him, brushing his tongue softly against his bottom lip.

"Well, aren't you just full of surprises," Piers said with a little chuckle a minute later when the kiss broke, pressing his thumb softly against the head of Raihan's cock to drag a moan from him. He got down on his knees and dragged his tongue slowly up the underside of the thick shaft in front of him, relishing in Raihan's shaky breathing and how his fingers tangled themselves in his long, wet hair. He took the head into his mouth and sucked slowly, closing his eyes. If Raihan had never been on the receiving end of a cock before, Piers wanted to make sure he made it as enjoyable as possible for him. To do that, he first needed to get him to relax, since the idea clearly made him nervous. 

" _ H-hah _ … Fuck, that's a pretty sight," Raihan said huskily, licking his lips as he watched Piers bobbing his head over him. "Mmm…" Raihan tilted his head back against the shower wall, mouth falling open in a soft groan when Piers took him halfway down his throat for a moment.

While Raihan was distracted, Piers crept a hand up his inner thigh to tease the sensitive swath of skin between scrotum and anus, feeling his cock jump against his tongue at the unexpected sensation. He rubbed the tight pucker lightly with the tip of his middle finger, careful not to push it inside just yet. When he felt Raihan shudder, he slid his mouth off his cock with a wet  _ pop _ and licked his lips, looking up at him with lust-darkened eyes.

"You've never even tried touching yourself here, have you?" he asked, genuinely interested in how responsive Raihan was being. "Not even out of curiosity?"

"Never," Raihan admitted. Piers pressed his fingertip against his entrance more insistently but still didn't breach him, watching his face to catch every minute twitch and every subtle change in his expression that showed Raihan was enjoying what he was doing. 

"W-wait," Raihan gasped, pupils dilated and eyes hooded as he looked down at him. "We need lube. Water isn't gonna cut it."

Piers looked around for something he could use, spotting one of the hotel's complimentary trial-size bottles of shampoo on the edge of the shower, just a foot away from him. He reached for it and unscrewed the cap, pouring out just enough to coat his fingers.

"Turn around and bend over a bit," he instructed as he stood up and blocked the shower's spray from hitting Raihan, his own voice huskier than normal at the prospect of what he was about to do. He had fantasized about fucking Raihan before, but something told him the reality was going to be so much more satisfying than whatever his imagination conjured up. Raihan did as he was told, turning so that his back was to him and his hands were pressed flat against the shower wall. He looked over his shoulder at him, and the sight alone of him bent over and waiting for him was one of the hottest things Piers had ever seen. He leaned across the taller man's back to leave a soft kiss between his shoulder blades, one hand holding his hip while the other positioned itself at his entrance. 

"Relax," he murmured when he felt how tense Raihan was. Slowly and carefully, Piers pushed his middle finger into him, stopping at the second knuckle. He bit his lip at the low moan that escaped the other man, cheeks flushed. He didn't start moving his hand until Raihan told him it was okay to do so, sliding his finger in and out of him. 

"How does it feel?"

"Dunno… A little weird, but—  _ Ah! _ " Raihan's sentence was cut short by a soft cry when Piers suddenly hooked his finger inside him and rubbed against a certain spot. He knew what it was, having become very skilled at finding Piers's, but he'd never had his own stimulated before and he didn't know how to even process the strangely pleasurable sensation. Piers smiled and pressed his fingertip a bit more insistently against Raihan's prostate, his other hand reaching around to give his cock some attention.

"F-fuck, that's…!" 

"Think you're ready for another?" Piers asked. When he saw Raihan nod, he slid a second finger in alongside the first, gently scissoring them apart every few seconds. When Raihan's moans started to increase a bit in volume, Piers pushed his fingers in as deep as they could go any time he slid them back in.

Raihan's hips eventually started moving to meet Piers's hand on every inward motion, the gasps and moans slipping out of him echoing off the shower walls. He looked over his shoulder at Piers, his bottom lip visibly red where he had bitten it with his fangs and his eyes dark with desire. Piers’s breath hitched when he saw that look and he started to wiggle a third finger in with the other two, mouth going dry when he heard the absolutely filthy sound that tore itself from Raihan’s throat.

“Bloody hell, Raihan, the  _ sight _ of you… Fuck, I could probably come from that alone,” Piers breathed, leaning over Raihan’s back again to lick a slow stripe up his spine.

“You’ll do no such thing,” Raihan growled. “Not ‘til I feel your cock in me.”

“Sure you’re ready for that?”

Raihan only nodded, and that was enough for him. He pulled his fingers out of him and Raihan bemoaned the loss, his hips shifting restlessly. Piers placed a hand in the center of Raihan’s back and pushed him down gently, guiding him onto all fours on the shower floor. He poured a generous amount of shampoo onto his palm before discarding the little bottle and spreading the viscous fluid over the length of his cock. He moaned softly, pressing the head of his cock against Raihan’s slick entrance and rubbing against it teasingly for a moment before pushing inside. He entered him a little bit at a time, pausing when just the tip was inside him so he could get used to the stretch.

Raihan gritted his teeth and closed his eyes tightly, grunting in pain as every muscle in his body protested the intrusion. It hurt a lot more than Piers’s fingers had. He clenched his hands into fists on the shower floor, his head falling forward as a string of curses escaped him.

Piers groaned deeply, feeling Raihan’s inner walls clamping so tightly around the head of his cock that it almost hurt. He gripped Raihan’s hips firmly, panting as he leaned over him and pressed soothing kisses on every bit of skin he could reach.

“R-Raihan, you’ve gotta relax…”

“I’m… trying,” Raihan bit out. The pain meant that his erection had flagged, so Piers reached a hand around him to bring it back to life. He stroked slowly but firmly, gradually rekindling the fire in Raihan’s veins. “ _ Fuck _ … a-ah… Nngh…”

When Piers finally felt Raihan relax a bit more around his cock, he pushed another inch into him. He rocked his hips back and forth slowly, feeling Raihan gradually loosening up. It took a while, but eventually, the moans and gasps tearing themselves from Raihan’s throat were those of pleasure, not pain. Piers thrust the rest of the way into him, hips pressed flush against Raihan’s ass as he just stayed there for a minute. He was trying so hard to be patient, but his tight heat was making it very difficult.

“The fuck are you…  _ nnngh! _ ... waiting for? M-move,” Raihan moaned, impatiently grinding his ass back against Piers’s hips and trembling a bit under him.

“Don’t wanna hurt you,” Piers stated, giving Raihan’s cock a firm stroke from base to tip. He pulled back a bit before thrusting slowly back in, and Raihan keened.

“I’m not made of glass… J-just…  _ ahh! _ ” Raihan cried out loudly when Piers accepted his invitation to move, his back arching and his eyes widening when he pulled almost all the way out and thrust all the way back in. Piers’s thrusts continued in earnest, slow but deep, and Raihan couldn’t stay quiet even if he wanted to. Piers panted and moaned as his inner walls throbbed around him, and he changed the angle of his thrusts a little bit, seeking out the sensitive place he’d found with his fingers earlier.

“ _ Fuck!! _ ” Raihan gasped sharply when Piers struck his prostate, pre-cum flowing from the head of his cock and immediately being washed away by the water spraying over them. The pain was completely overtaken by pleasure now, and Raihan started moving in time with Piers’s thrusts. “Harder, baby… h-harder…  _ Nnngh…! _ ”

Piers did what he was told, thrusting harder and faster into him as he started to enjoy himself more and more. Raihan’s body and cries were pulling Piers closer to the edge by the moment and he moaned deeply, digging his fingertips hard into Raihan’s hips.

“Fuckin’ hell, Raihan… You’re so… ahhh,  _ fuck _ , I’m close…” Piers nearly choked on his own moan when Raihan consciously squeezed around him and he bucked harder against him, his breaths quickening along with his heartbeat.

“ _ Nnngh _ , Piers… F-fill me up, c’mon…” It only took a couple more thrusts for Piers to reach his end, moaning deeply as he filled Raihan to the brim with his cum. Raihan wasn’t far behind, crying out Piers’s name loudly as he arched his back and spilled onto the shower floor. The tremors of his orgasm continued for quite some time, his breaths ragged. Piers pulled out of Raihan slowly and sat back against the shower wall, panting heavily and watching as his cum slid down Raihan’s thighs and was almost immediately washed away. 

Raihan didn’t move again until he’d caught his breath, moving to sit beside Piers and wincing slightly when the position was understandably more uncomfortable than usual. He tipped his head back against the wall and glanced over at Piers with a small grin, winking at him.

"I think I get it now," he breathed.

"Hm…?"

"Why you like getting fucked so much."

All Piers could do was laugh.

As promised, Piers allowed Raihan to post the photo of the two of them in bed that morning after making sure it wasn't anything explicit. It was actually a very cute picture, and once Raihan sent him a copy and had his go-ahead, it was out on the internet for the world to see. Piers almost immediately called Marnie to tell her the news, since he would rather her hear it first from him than from seeing it on Raihan's page. She was surprised by the news that the two were dating, but she sounded pleased nonetheless.

"Three thousand likes already," Raihan said with a smirk, wrapping his arms around Piers from behind as he was putting his boots on. "Lots of comments too, from people who are gonna be at the concert tonight and from the other members of the League. Mostly positive, except for some fans who are pissed it's you I'm sleeping with and not them."

Piers scoffed at that. "Shocker." He moved to stand up but when Raihan wouldn't let him go, he sighed and frowned over his shoulder at him. "I've gotta get going now if I'm gonna get everything ready for the concert tonight."

"I know, I know. Can I get a goodbye kiss then?" Raihan asked. Piers rolled his eyes and kissed him softly, resting a hand against his cheek. Satisfied, Raihan let Piers get off the bed, but the second his rear end left it, he leveled a playful smack at it. When Piers yelped in surprise and turned to look at him, Raihan laughed. Piers glared coolly at him. Raihan looked entirely too pleased with himself.

"Keep that up and you're not having any of this after the concert tonight," Piers said coolly.

"Sorry, couldn't help it. See you tonight, babe."

Piers turned to leave and as the door shut behind him and he headed down the hall, there was a bit of a spring in his step and he couldn't keep the little smile off his face.

It was going to be a hell of a night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the rare sub!Raihan. Don't worry, I'm sure there will be more of him by the end of this. See you in the next one!


	7. A Night to Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a successful concert, Piers’s friends decide to celebrate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is super-sized. Enjoy!

Piers couldn’t remember a time when he’d ever felt so nervous before one of his concerts. Some anxiety was normal, but his stomach was so tied up in knots as he stood there in his bedroom trying to decide what he should wear that he felt like he was going to vomit. He swallowed heavily, debating on whether or not he should wear the fishnets again. It was generally Spikemuth citizens who came to his concerts, and he knew how to pander to them… but now there were people coming from all over Galar to see him perform, and he was utterly clueless.

“Bloody hell, it shouldn’t be this difficult,” Piers groaned, practically ripping his closet apart. This was his first ever sold out concert; surely, he should wear something special? Finding something he hadn’t worn in quite some time, he pulled a black leather top out of his closet that had a high collar and a zipper down the front that terminated right above his belly button, baring a good portion of his midriff in the front. He paired it with a pair of black skinny jeans that was practically a second skin, a few well-placed rips and tears down the length of one thigh to show off just a little bit of the pale skin underneath. He pulled both garments on along with some simple knee-high black boots and turned around a couple of times to look at himself in the mirror, biting his lip. 

_ Forgot how nice these make my arse look, _ he mused. He looked over at the bed, where Noibat was watching him curiously and blinking its large eyes at him and smiled, holding his arms out to the side and giving Noibat a good look at the outfit. 

“What d’you think? This look alright?” 

Noibat chirped and flapped its wings excitedly in reply and Piers chuckled, petting it softly in thanks.

His phone started ringing on his bed and when he looked and saw that Nessa was trying to start a video chat with him, he turned on the Rotom phone’s automatic mode and answered. The phone hovered in midair in front of him and Nessa smiled at him from the screen.

“Oooooh, look at you!” she praised, eyes wide as she greedily took in Piers’s outfit. “Go on then, do a little turn for me.”

Piers rolled his eyes and did as she asked, taking a few steps back and giving her a full 360-degree view. She was a model, so of course she would want to see how his whole outfit came together.

“You are going to be in a lot of people’s wet dreams tonight if you wear that out there,” Nessa stated with a little laugh. Piers blushed, unsure how to respond. “It’s a compliment, I promise. However, can I make a suggestion?”

“You’re going to anyway, Ness.”

“Wear your hair down. I know you prefer wearing it up, but… humor me. Pleeeeease?”

Piers reached back and pulled out his hair tie, using both hands to tease his thick black-and-white hair out into voluminous waves that perfectly framed his face and body. Nessa made a noise that was practically one of arousal, and he couldn’t help but smirk.

"Down, girl. What would Sonia say?"

"She’d be of the same mind as me, one hundred percent. Let’s ask her, shall we? Sonia, love, could you come here for a sec?”

Piers’s eyes widened and he heard Sonia call out to Nessa from somewhere in the background, but he couldn’t really hear what she said. Nessa just motioned for Sonia to come into the room and a few moments later, the pretty redheaded girl came into view.

“Oh, hi Piers!” she greeted with a friendly smile.

Nessa kissed Sonia softly on the cheek, draping an arm around her girlfriend’s shoulders and hugging her close to her side. “Sorry to pull you away from your research, darling, but my friend here seems to need more than one opinion on how fuckin’ hot he is with his hair down like that. Go ahead, Piersy.”

Piers did another little spin for Sonia, showing off his outfit as his long hair bounced around his shoulders with every movement.

“Yeah, that’s a  _ very _ good look,” Sonia agreed, blushing and biting her lip softly.

Piers sighed quietly and shook his head. “I suppose just this once couldn’t hurt… I just hate when it gets in my way on-stage, y’know?”

“You could always cut it,” Nessa stated with a casual shrug. “But then your boyfriend wouldn’t have anything to hold onto.”

“He’d find something.”

“Something roughly two inches shorter than—”

“We should let Piers finish getting ready, Nessa,” Sonia interrupted quickly, covering Nessa’s mouth with her hand and blushing deeply. Piers laughed quietly and said goodbye to the two women before ending the call. It had proven to be a nice little distraction: his anxiety around performing for a large crowd in just a couple of short hours was reduced to a dull hum at the back of his mind.

Even before Piers entered the building, he could hear the roar of the crowd inside. He controlled his breathing as best he could, playing with his choker as some way to calm his newly-arisen anxiety.  _ This is it. C’mon, Piers, you can do this. _ Brow furrowed with determination, he smirked and shoved open the door to his private entrance, making his way up to the stage. The second they saw him, the crowd went wild and Piers took hold of his microphone and looked out over the huge audience with a grin.

“This is… Fuckin’ hell, I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t think this building could hold so many bloody people,” he said with a little laugh. “Thank you all so much for comin’ out; it means the world to me. So, now that that’s outta the way… how about we dispense with the niceties and together, we blow the roof off this fuckin’ place?” The roar from the crowd was deafening.

The next hour and a half was some of the most fun Piers had ever had at one of his concerts. He felt so energized and alive, and the audience’s energy was insane. All of his anxiety from before was completely gone, replaced with the sort of spark that could only be ignited by music. He sang out the final note of the night and the music abruptly stopped at the end, the audience screaming and clapping for him. He stood there on the stage with a big smile on his face, a thin sheen of sweat on his skin and his chest heaving as he caught his breath. 

“Raihan,” he said into the microphone, and the name brought a slow hush over the crowd. “I know you’re out there, you great tosser. Come up ‘ere.” Somewhere to his right, he saw someone pushing their way through the crowd to get to the stage. Raihan made his way up onto the stage to stand with him and crossed his arms, grinning down at the shorter man and then looking out over the crowd for a minute. Piers smirked and, emboldened by adrenaline and the energy contained in that room, he grabbed the back of Raihan’s neck and pulled him down for a kiss, which almost immediately caused a firestorm of excited screaming from the women in the crowd. He felt Raihan go tense with surprise from the unexpected kiss and he slowly broke it, smiling up at him. It wasn’t often he saw Raihan rendered speechless. 

Raihan had gone public with their relationship his way when he posted the picture of them in bed together. Now, it was Piers’s turn to do it  _ his _ way. Raihan’s eyes were wide as he looked down at him, but a slow grin spread across his face. In that moment, even with the screaming audience, the whole world had narrowed down to just the two of them, and there was nowhere else Piers would rather be.

Piers stood behind the building after walking off-stage for the evening, a cigarette between his lips as he gazed serenely up at the sky and waited for Raihan. Some fans had come up asking for autographs and photos with the two of them after the show, but after a little while, Piers had gotten overwhelmed and excused himself. Raihan, thankfully, had kept anyone from following him. He replayed the moment he’d kissed Raihan on-stage in his mind, his cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the memory. What had gotten into him? The adrenaline had been pumping through him so fast after such a successful concert that he had acted on impulse rather than reason. He didn’t regret the split-second decision, necessarily… He just hoped nothing bad came of it.

About five minutes later, Piers finally heard the door open and he took the cigarette out of his mouth to make a sarcastic remark about him forgetting where the exit was, but when he turned to look, he gasped softly when he saw that Raihan wasn’t alone. With the exception of Opal and Allister, the rest of the League, as well as Marnie and Sonia, were with him. Even Leon was there. Raihan gave him a smug little smirk and crossed his arms, waiting for Piers to say something. For the life of him, he didn’t know what to say, so Nessa spoke up first.

“Raihan told us last weekend about the little challenge you posed to him about selling out a month’s worth of concerts in two days,” she explained, beaming. “So, we each pitched in for tickets to see your first sold-out show. It was sooo hard for me to keep it secret.”

“We wanted it to be a surprise,” added Melony, stepping forward to pull Piers into a tight, motherly hug. “You were great tonight! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you be so energetic.”

“I prefer country music,” Milo admitted sheepishly with a sweet smile, “but you put on a great show, mate.”

“I need to buy your CDs now,” Leon decided with a laugh.

Piers truly didn’t know how to take all of the compliments and support from his colleagues. He was grateful, of course, but he could also feel some of that old shyness creeping in.

“That’s… I… I dunno what to say,” he murmured, eyes shimmering as he looked at each of them in turn. Marnie stepped toward him and away from the rest of the group, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and nestling her cheek against his chest. Piers’s expression softened and he hugged her back, feeling the telltale burning in his eyes that heralded tears.

“I’m so proud of you, brother,” Marnie said. He couldn't have stopped the tears then even if he tried, and they flowed freely down his cheeks as he hugged his sister close. All he wanted for the longest time was to be the best big brother she could ever ask for; to be someone she could look up to and someone she could always count on. Hearing her say she was proud of him was the greatest gift he could ever hope to receive. Raihan just watched from the sidelines, his expression soft and a little smile on his face. Piers smiled back at him, his eyes conveying what he wasn't saying:  _ thank you _ .

"We're  _ all _ proud of you," Leon chimed in, smiling warmly at the two siblings. "Don't think I've ever seen you look as happy as you did on that stage tonight. You've got a nice smile when you use it."

"O-oh, uh… Thanks, I think?" Piers replied, cheeks flushed as he pulled away from Marnie and wiped the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand.

"You hittin' on my man, Champion?" Raihan teased, smirking. "I know he's sexy as hell in this outfit but c'mon…  _ That's _ a fight you'll lose." Piers glared at him, and Raihan just shrugged. Leon had the grace to be embarrassed and stood up to his full height, clearing his throat and frowning at his only true rival in the League.

"Bloody hell, what gave you  _ that _ idea?" Leon exclaimed. "I was just—"

Raihan rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around Piers's shoulders, ducking down to kiss him on the cheek. "Don't worry, babe. I'll defend your honor from the bad man." Marnie muffled a quiet laugh when she saw the bewildered look on Piers's face.

"I should get goin'," she said, adjusting her backpack. "I've got loads of trainin' to do before I head to Ballonlea."

Piers frowned, still feeling a little emotional from her saying she was proud of him.

"You could stay the night and leave in the mornin', y'know," he told her, setting a hand on her shoulder. "It's gettin' pretty late."

"Sleeping in my own bed does sound pretty nice, actually… Eh, okay. As long as you and your boyfriend promise to keep your voices down so I can sleep, I'll stay."

Piers's face turned bright red at that and Raihan laughed, grinning.

"We'll be quiet," Raihan assured her. "Promise. Probably won't get back to your place 'til much later though, so you'll already be asleep by then."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Piers interjected. "Where are we goin'?"

"Spikemuth's finest nightclub, obviously!"

"We wanted to have a proper celebration after the concert," Nessa stated.

"If it's all the same to you," Kabu interrupted, crossing his arms, "I think I'm gonna skip the festivities. Nightclubs aren't really my thing."

"Same here," Milo added, looking at Piers apologetically. "Sorry, mate."

"Ugh, you two are no fun," Raihan groaned. "Everyone else is coming then?"

Piers bit his lip softly, toying nervously with his choker. "I dunno if—"

"Oh c'mon, babe, it'll be fun!"

"I don't doubt that," Piers answered. "But, won't it be bad if any video of us bein' proper sloshed gets out there? The League does have rules…"

"I know the rules better than anyone, and as long as we're not bein' destructive, there's nothing that forbids us from going out and havin' fun," Leon said with a reassuring smile.

Seeing that he was outnumbered, Piers sighed and relented, leading the group to the club in question after giving Marnie another hug and telling her he'd see her in the morning. Raihan draped an arm over his shoulders as they walked, ducking his head down to whisper in his ear.

"Can't wait to see how you move on a dance floor with some booze in you," he purred with a lascivious grin.

Piers didn't frequent clubs, but of the few he had been to, this was easily his favorite. The whole atmosphere of the place was perfect. Dimly lit, black lights over the dance floor, a well-stocked bar, and a fog machine by the DJ that pumped out just enough to fill the venue with a faint mist… He loved the aesthetic. He knew for a fact that the club had private lounges in the back for parties that paid a little extra, and truth be told, he had lost his virginity to a fan of his in one of them. A fan he hoped, silently, he'd never bump into again.

The group of gym leaders wandered up to the bar, smiling and greeting any fans who approached them. Raihan looked at what was on offer for drinks and once he ordered his, he looked at Piers expectantly.

"Pick your poison, baby. My treat."

Piers ordered his usual, winking at the young man behind the bar who blushed as red as a strawberry in response. Raihan quirked a brow at him, and the question he wanted to ask but didn't was an obvious one, so Piers went ahead and answered it, speaking directly into Raihan's ear so only he would hear him.

"The guy I was bedding for a couple of months before you came along. He's a fan of my music, usually goes to my shows but I guess he got stuck workin' tonight."

"You were fuckin' him for two whole months, huh? Must've been good."

"Yeah. Just a casual thing though; I set that boundary early on and he was fine with it. Then he took a fancy to some bloke in Circhester and he called it off." Piers felt someone tugging at his hand and he looked over to see that it was Nessa, a big grin on her face. 

"C'mon then, dance with me," she said excitedly before taking a sip of her beer.

"Sonia okay with that?" he asked, smirking over at her as she talked with Leon over what looked like a margarita just a few feet away.

"I asked her first, don't you worry your pretty little head." The bartender put their drinks down on the counter and Piers thanked him, taking a sip of his drink. 

"Let me finish my drink first and then I'll dance with you. I don't dance until I've got a buzz goin'."

“Aw what the fuck, you’re gonna dance with Ness before you dance with me?” Raihan complained, pouting as he leaned casually against the counter and watched the two of them. “No fair!”

“Oh relax, I’m just gonna loosen him up for ya.”

Piers finished his first drink of the evening within fifteen minutes, and because he hadn't eaten anything yet, the higher alcohol content hit him quickly. His head felt pleasantly foggy as he set his glass down and moved away from the counter, his body feeling limber and loose already. He started to head off to the dance floor with Nessa but stopped when Raihan lightly grabbed his wrist. He frowned up at him. The taller man just smiled.

"Can I at least snatch a kiss from you before you go out there?" he asked. Piers rolled his eyes and pressed Raihan up against the counter with his body, standing on his toes so he could press their lips together. He pulled away a few moments later and Raihan released his wrist, giving him a playful little smack on the rear as he turned and headed out to the dance floor. Piers let the club music flow through him, surrendering himself to it and moving his body in time to the pulsing rhythm.

"Don't look now," Nessa said loudly so he could hear her over the music, grinning as she rolled her body against his and he reciprocated without missing a beat, "but Raihan can't seem to take his eyes off you." Piers glanced over at him and sure enough, the hunger in the man's eyes was all too obvious even in the dim lighting of the club. He could feel it. 

"Let's give him a show then," Piers purred, smirking. Their dance continued, becoming more sultry and hot as the music changed over to something of a slightly slower tempo. After a little while, Sonia came out to the dance floor and joined them, standing behind Nessa and sliding her hands softly up her sides as they moved together. Sonia winked at him and he smiled, continuing his dance on his own. He slid his hands up his body and into his thick hair, holding it back away from his face as he undulated and pulsed to the music.

When Piers looked back at the bar to see if Raihan was still undressing him with his eyes, he frowned when he realized he'd lost sight of him. He felt a pair of strong, familiar hands grab his hips from behind then and he smirked, glancing back at him for a moment. He bit his lip when he felt Raihan grind against him and he returned the movement in time with the music, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down the back of his neck as the temperature in the club seemingly increased. Raihan was half-hard as he ground up against him, and Piers was getting to that point, too. 

Raihan was a surprisingly good dancer, his style distinctly masculine while Piers's style was a bit more on the sultry, feminine side. They worked well together, and Piers heard Nessa cheering them on from a few feet away. The longer they danced, the more Piers wanted to drag Raihan out of the club and back to his house so he could lock him in his bedroom and not let him leave until morning.

The group rotated between the dance floor and the bar and eventually, Raihan pulled them all aside as he took a big gulp of beer. He was on his sixth one, and it was only just starting to affect him beyond a slight buzz.

"I bought us some time in one of the private lounges at the back," he said with a grin. "Let's go cool off for a bit while we finish our drinks, yeah?"

"I have to get back to Circhester, sadly," Melony said, setting her empty glass on the bar. She gave Piers a big hug and smiled, lightly patting his cheek when she pulled away. The group said their goodbyes to Melony and headed off to one of the club's private lounges once she left. Raihan flopped down onto one of the sofas with a heavy sigh, smirking and wrapping an arm around Piers when he joined him. Leon sat on the other sofa with Nessa and Sonia, his cheeks flushed and a goofy little smile on his face. Leon's alcohol tolerance was pretty low, Piers had observed. He'd only had two beers before he called it quits for the night.

"I think we should play a game," Nessa proposed, slurring slightly.

"Like what?" Leon asked, leaning comfortably into the sofa and draping his muscular arms over the back of it.

"My vote is Truth or Dare," Raihan said with a little chuckle, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Oh bollocks, that game is rubbish," Piers protested, crossing his arms. "What are you, ten?"

"A vote then. Those in favor?" Raihan, Nessa and Sonia raised their hands. "Three against two. Truth or Dare, it is."

"Fuck's sake," Piers sighed.

"I'll go first," Raihan said smugly. "Leon, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Alright, uh… Have you ever slept with a fan?"

Leon's eyes widened slightly and he hesitated. He looked away and nervously ran a hand through his hair as he answered. "Yeah… a few times."

Raihan laughed, genuinely surprised by Leon's answer. "No way,  _ you? _ Fuckin' hell, how am I just now hearin' of this? I thought we were mates! Sonia, did you know?"

"I only knew about the one," Sonia admitted, eyes wide as she stared at Leon in shock.

"There are  _ some _ things I prefer to keep private, thank you very much," Leon grumbled, crossing his arms and pouting. "My turn now, yeah? Nessa, truth or dare?"

Nessa smirked. "Dare."

"I dare you to… give Piers a lap dance."

Piers's eyes widened and he blushed deeply, his gaze flickering briefly to Nessa, who only shrugged and got to her feet. "What the fuck, Leon."

"I couldn't think of anything else, and you're the first person I looked at," Leon groaned, apologetic.

"Don't sweat it, Piers," Raihan said reassuringly, scooting over a bit to give Piers some room. "It's just a game." Nessa approached Piers and slowly straddled his thighs, hands on his shoulders and a little grin on her face. Piers swallowed heavily, arms over the back of the sofa so he wouldn't touch her. Game or not, Nessa still had a girlfriend, and he didn't want to make this more uncomfortable for Sonia to witness than it already would be.

"Well, at least this is familiar," Nessa said as she slowly rolled her hips over him, her body undulating like a snake as she danced. She only intended Piers to hear her but unfortunately, Raihan caught it, too.

"What d'you mean 'familiar'?" he asked, one eyebrow raised. Piers's breath hitched when Nessa accidentally ground against his cock through his already tight pants a little harder than intended and he bit his lip, willing himself to not get hard. It was difficult, but somehow he managed it.

"Tell you later," he said in response to Raihan's curiosity. Thankfully, Nessa kept the lap dance short and sweet, doing it for only a couple of minutes before getting off of his lap and sauntering back to Sonia's side. Piers relaxed a bit once the lap dance was over, feeling Raihan's curious stare on him just as clearly as he felt his arm wrap once more around his shoulders.

"Piers," Nessa said, sounding very calm in spite of what she'd just had to do, "truth or dare?"

Fearful of what she would dare him to do, Piers's answer was immediate. "Truth."

"What’s one thing you have from when you were a kid that you still love?”

Piers smiled, glad the question wasn’t a sexual one. “I’ve still got a big plush Zigzagoon in my closet that I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of. Mum gave it to me for my sixth birthday. Took it with me practically everywhere until I turned ten.”

“Aww, that’s so cute,” Sonia cooed, eyes sparkling.

“Raihan, truth or dare?” Piers asked, smirking and crossing his arms.

“Dare, obviously. Give me your worst,” Raihan challenged.

“I dare you to snog Leon for a full minute.”

Raihan laughed hysterically beside him, but Leon was looking at Piers in horror.

“Payback’s a bitch, innit?” Raihan snickered. “Alright, babe. Just don’t go gettin’ jealous on my account, yeah?” He got to his feet and walked over to his best friend with a smug grin on his face, holding Leon’s chin and tilting his head up toward him. “Pucker up, Champion.”

Leon gulped, visibly apprehensive, but when Raihan's lips found his a few moments later, he didn't pull away. Piers watched as the two men made out, feeling the slightest twinge of jealousy in his gut at the sight. Raihan seemed intent on putting on a good show for him and while Piers couldn't really see everything he was doing to him, Raihan did something to pull a hot little gasp from the Champion's throat and the sound went right down to his dick. When Nessa said that the minute was up, Raihan broke the kiss and smirked, backing up a couple of paces before sitting back down on the sofa next to Piers. When Piers saw the embarrassed look on Leon's face, he chuckled.

"Cherish that kiss, Champion, 'cause that's the only one I'm letting him give you," he teased.

"As if I'd want another," Leon grumbled, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand and looking away. "He's all yours, Piers."

"My turn again," Raihan said, leaning forward and clasping his hands under his chin in thought. His eyes fell upon Sonia and he grinned. "Truth or Dare, Sonia?"

"Truth."

"Playin' it safe, huh? Alright, I can respect that. Seems a good opportunity to have a question answered that I've been wonderin' about for years: have you and Leon ever had sex?"

Sonia blushed almost the same shade as her hair and nodded slightly. "Once. We were, what… sixteen? Seventeen?"

"Sounds about right," Leon said thoughtfully, frowning.

"Probably had trouble finding where to put it," Raihan mused with a tone of pity in his voice, clicking his tongue and shaking his head. "Poor bastard." They all laughed.

"You all suck," Leon grumbled, sulking.

The game of Truth or Dare continued for another hour until, finally, Piers declared it was about time he headed home. He thanked everyone again for the fun night and said his goodbyes, heading out of the club. Raihan left with him, walking him to his house and pinning him against the front door from behind once they arrived. Piers groaned when Raihan's knee immediately pressed between his legs, rubbing against him. 

"Arceus, I've wanted that arse of yours all fucking night," Raihan growled, latching onto the side of Piers's neck dragging his tongue over the sensitive skin. "Hurry up and unlock the door, or I'm gonna take you right 'ere." 

Piers unlocked the door quickly, pushing it open and pulling Raihan inside before locking it again. "Remember, Marnie is asleep upstairs and her room is right across the hall from mine. We've gotta be quiet."

"Correction:  _ you've _ gotta be quiet." As though to prove his point, Raihan unzipped the front of Piers’s top and slid a hand inside, lightly tweaking one of his nipples right there in the foyer. Piers inhaled sharply through his nose and grabbed Raihan’s wrist, yanking him up the stairs and toward his room. The alcohol in their system meant the stairs were more of a challenge than usual, and more than once, Piers nearly tripped. He was relieved when they were safely in his room and he locked the door, discarding his clothes as quickly as possible with his lips held captive in a hot kiss. It didn’t take long for them both to get naked and Raihan impatiently held Piers against the wall next to the door, getting to his knees in front of him and taking his cock fully in his mouth with one movement of his head. Piers choked back a moan, bringing a hand up to cover his mouth and muffle the noise. Raihan sucked him enthusiastically, a bit sloppier with it than usual thanks to the alcohol, but it felt amazing nonetheless and Piers was definitely finding it hard to stay quiet.

“Bed,” he panted into his hand, his cock twitching as he watched Raihan slide his mouth off his cock and lick his lips to break a strand of saliva that connected them. Raihan grinned up at him and stood, easily hoisting him up so that his legs were wrapped around his waist and he had to wrap his arms around his shoulders to steady himself. Raihan turned and crossed the short distance to the bed, dropping Piers unceremoniously onto it and fetching the nearly empty bottle of lube on the nightstand.

“The way you kissed me on that stage tonight… the way you moved on the dance floor with Nessa… Fuckin’ hell, the last few hours were  _ torture. _ ” Raihan pushed two fingers into Piers as soon as they were covered with lube and Piers had to bite down on the heel of his palm to silence the cry that tried to escape. He trembled with excitement on the bed as he spread his legs more and pushed against Raihan’s fingers, his pupils dilated and his cock already leaking pre-cum onto his belly. Raihan quickly found his prostate and rubbed it with his fingertips, bending down to worry one of Piers’s nipples with his tongue.

“S-stop teasing me and…  _ hnnngh…  _ g-get on with it,” Piers whined, keeping his voice down as best he could in spite of Raihan’s assault on his prostate. Every press against that sensitive bundle of nerves made him feel like he was burning up, his hips rolling forward to seek more of the addictive sensation.

“So bossy,” Raihan purred, his other hand finding Piers’s cock and giving it a firm stroke from root to tip. “Why don’t you ask me nicely?” He pulled his fingers completely out of Piers and urged the musician onto all fours, leaning across his back and teasingly rubbing the tip of his cock against his entrance without making any attempt to penetrate him. Any time a very frustrated Piers tried impaling himself on it, Raihan’s hips would move back and away to keep him from doing so. Piers whimpered into the pillow under his head, glancing back over his shoulder at Raihan with shimmering eyes.

“Just f-fuck me,” Piers whimpered. “Please, Raihan, I-I need— _ mmf!!! _ ” The loud cry of ecstasy was just barely muffled on time by Piers biting down on the pillow as Raihan sheathed himself fully inside him with a single thrust. It hurt, but not enough for Piers to really give a damn. Raihan's cock was rubbing him inside in all the right places in all the right ways, and it was driving him crazy. He ground his ass back against Raihan's hips and he nearly sobbed into the pillow when the man started thrusting in earnest. It felt so good, he could hardly think straight, and he barely had the presence of mind left to remember he needed to be quiet.

Raihan sounded like he was having trouble staying quiet, too. He was panting heavily against Piers's shoulder and any time a groan threatened to escape, he would choke it back and clamp his teeth down on the pale, heated flesh between neck and shoulder. One of his hands reached under Piers to grab his cock, stroking him in time with the movement of his hips.

"Fuck," Piers whimpered, gasping and moaning as quietly as he could into the pillow. When he came just a few minutes later, he tensed and trembled as another sob of bliss escaped him. Raihan filled him up soon after, sucking another welt into Piers's nape to muffle his own groan of pleasure. They both laid there for a while, catching their breath and saying nothing. Raihan eventually got up and fetched a towel, dutifully cleaning the semen from his body and the sheets before cleaning himself.

Piers just lay there on his side, watching Raihan quietly. His heart felt so full, and his throat felt tight. His eyes burned as tears welled up, but he didn't feel sad; he wasn't in pain. He felt more at peace than he had in a long time. It scared him, how happy he was.

"...Babe?" Piers blinked as he was pulled from his thoughts, a single tear falling down his cheek when he did. He hadn't even realized Raihan was trying to get his attention.

"Huh…?"

"I asked if you're okay," Raihan said quietly, frowning. 

_ I'm better than okay. _

"You're cryin'... Did I bite you too hard?"

"No."  _ I'm in love with you, you fuckin' tosser. _

"Then why…?"

_ I love you. _

"Guess I just turn a bit soppy if I drink too much." Piers smiled, a couple more tears rolling down his cheeks. "Don't worry; I'm fine." Raihan's expression softened and he laid down beside him, pulling the blankets up over them. He wiped some of Piers's tears away with the pad of his thumb, smiling warmly at him and holding him close. Within minutes, Piers felt the exhaustion of the day catching up to him. He closed his eyes.

"Sleep well, baby." Raihan's voice was the last thing he heard before drifting off, and it would prove to be one of the most restful nights of sleep he ever had. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you in the next one!


	8. An Old Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piers and Raihan have been together for two months, and they’re both having trouble getting up the courage to tell the other how they feel. Someone from Raihan’s past turns up; things get complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is long, holy shit. x_x Enjoy!

The next couple of months were absurdly busy, both for Piers and for Raihan. Interviews, photoshoots (together and individually), charity events… Piers hardly had any time to relax. He was selling out of concert tickets left and right, and the next month of concerts was totally full. He was selling a lot more merch too, and the extra money was going right to fixing up Spikemuth. The increased interest in his music even meant he was working on a new album, writing songs around everything else in his crazy life. More and more people were starting to come to Spikemuth every day, and Raihan was as thrilled by it as Piers was. He was dealing with a lot more press in Hammerlocke too, which was saying something.

One thing that hadn't changed was their relationship, in spite of all the press. People were as intrigued by it as ever, being such polar opposites. Nonetheless, the passion between them was the same as it was in the beginning, and any chance they got to be alone together, they took it without hesitation. Piers spent the night at Raihan's flat in Hammerlocke a few times a week and vice versa, and it was great. Sometimes it was slow and gentle, and other times it was a frenzied fuck in a hotel room somewhere between interviews and other social engagements.

This particular night, they were enjoying each other's company in Raihan's room, and it was a night where Raihan had decided he wanted to be the one getting penetrated. Piers held onto Raihan's hips as he moved against him, licking his lips as he watched the taller man ride him. This had become Raihan's favorite position whenever it came to Piers fucking him, since it allowed him to control the pace and meant he didn't have to be passive. He could roll and rock as quickly or slowly as he wanted, and he loved that.

Piers groaned deeply when Raihan consciously squeezed around his cock and he dug his fingers harder into his hips, tipping his head back. It was a new trick that Raihan had become quite fond of, and he smirked at Piers's reaction.

"Cheeky bastard," Piers breathed with a small grin of his own, bucking his hips a bit harder and tearing a sharp gasp from Raihan's throat when he struck his favorite spot deep inside him. Oh, that had felt incredible… A couple more thrusts like that, and he wouldn't be able to stop himself.

" _ A-ahh _ , I'm close," Raihan uttered with a breathless laugh, a thin sheen of sweat across his whole body. His hair fell loosely around his face, some of it sticking to his forehead until he brushed it back with his hand only for it to fall forward again. He moaned deeply when Piers’s hand found his cock, every movement of his hips causing him to thrust up into his fist. Piers grabbed the back of his neck with his other hand and pulled him down for a rough kiss, and Raihan whimpered softly when he felt Piers bite at his bottom lip.

“Come for me,” Piers whispered, bucking up against him to strike his prostate again and giving his cock an insistent stroke. It only took a few more upward thrusts of Piers’s hips to send Raihan over the edge and he cried out loudly as he came, shooting his load all over the singer’s chest. He felt Piers throb inside him as he too reached his end, and Raihan couldn’t believe how much he’d come to love that feeling.

After a quick shower together to wash off the sweat and semen, Raihan sat behind Piers on the bed and rubbed his shoulders. Piers hummed with contentment, smiling and tilting his head forward with his eyes closed.

“Your muscles are in all kinds of knots, babe,” Raihan said with a frown, digging his thumb into a particularly stubborn one that caused Piers to grunt softly in pain. “The hell have you been doin’?”

“Oh, y’know… the usual. Stressin’ out, going to photoshoots, modeling shit for Nessa’s new dark-themed clothing line, writing songs for the new album,  _ more _ stressin’ out…”

“I hear ya,” Raihan sighed. “We could definitely use a fuckin’ vacation at this point… Every day, there’s somethin’ else. I don’t mind always bein’ on the go, but fuckin’ hell, it’s even startin’ to tire  _ me _ out.”

“At least you’re used to all the attention.”

“I guess, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like a break once in a while.” Raihan leaned forward and trailed soft kisses up the side of Piers’s neck, closing his eyes and smiling. “So, uh… I’ve gotta talk to you about somethin’.” When Piers quirked a brow at him, he continued. “Rose called me this afternoon. Said he tried callin' you too but the call got dropped…”

“Call didn’t get dropped. I hung up on him.”

“What? Why?”

“If you spoke with him, you know damn well why.” Piers pulled his damp hair over his right shoulder and started weaving it into a braid, frowning at Raihan as he did. “Same shit he called me about last week. The fuck clearly doesn’t know what the word ‘no’ means.”

“I don’t understand why you’re so opposed to it, babe. We’ve done loads of interviews together at this point; this one’s no different.”

“Not interviews for an advice column pertaining exclusively to our fuckin’ sex life. You might like havin’ that stuff out in the open for everyone to scrutinize, but I don’t.”

"We don't have to give them every little detail; just enough to answer their questions," Raihan stated. He wrapped his arms around him from behind, nestling his cheek against his with a little smile. "What if I told you I convinced Rose to give us a little time off in exchange for doing the interview?"

"There's no way in hell he'd agree to something like that."

"Well, he did. Said he’d give us two whole weeks off."

"How'd you convince him to do that? Suck his prick? Let him jam his fingers up your bum for a while?"

Raihan laughed at that. "Nah, nothin' like that. Didn't take much convincing beyond asking, honestly. We're valuable assets, now more than ever. He'd be wise to keep us happy, and he knows it."

Piers fell silent, thinking, and Raihan waited patiently for him to come to a decision. 

"Fine, I'll do the bloody interview on  _ one _ condition," Piers said finally, turning around and straddling Raihan's lap slowly. He pushed him down onto his back and pinned his hands down on either side of his head, their fingers intertwined. Raihan grinned and lightly squeezed Piers's hands.

"Name it."

"For those two weeks… I want it to be just us. No social media whatsoever. Just you and me." He was blushing as he said it, and Raihan was powerless to the plea in those big, blue eyes. His expression softened and he kissed Piers lightly, a mere brush of lips as he spoke.

"Deal."

Piers seemed genuinely surprised by the ease of his answer. "Really?"

Raihan shrugged. "Yeah, it's cool. I’m still gonna take pictures, but I won't post 'em. They’ll be just for us."

“I’m not just talking about posting shit, Raihan. No checking comments, no liking other people’s posts, no—”

“I won’t do any of that either. I promise.”

Piers smiled, and it was so genuine that it made Raihan's heart ache.  _ Fuckin' hell, who gave him permission to be so cute? _

"I'll let Rose know we'll be there Friday then," Raihan said, bringing a hand up to push a stray lock of hair behind Piers's left ear. He kissed him again and ten minutes later, Piers was raring to go for round two and teasingly grinding his ass against Raihan’s cock with a little smirk.

“This time,” Piers whispered into Raihan’s ear, tongue flicking out against his earlobe, “it's my turn.”

Raihan paced his living room later that night, arms crossed and a frustrated growl escaping him. Piers had gone out to buy more cigarettes since he was out of them, and now that he was alone, Raihan was once again trying to think of a good way to tell the punk-rocker how he felt. They had been a couple for two months, and neither of them had said those three little words yet. He felt more strongly about Piers than he had for anyone, even his ex-girlfriend with whom he’d spent two years of his life, but it never felt like the right time to say it. He had come close a couple of times, but he always chickened out at the last second and pretended he was about to say something else. For some reason, the idea of telling Piers how he felt was a scary one. What if he confessed, and Piers shut him down? Raihan had been rejected before, of course — he wasn’t perfect — but something about the thought of Piers rejecting him was painful. It bothered him that Piers hadn’t said the words yet either, but not nearly as much as his own cowardice did.

“Damn it, it shouldn’t be this fuckin’ hard!” Raihan flopped down on the sofa with a heavy sigh, frowning thoughtfully at his Flygon as it curled up around the whole side of the sofa. He reached a hand down to lightly pet its smooth scales, smiling as it nuzzled his palm.

“I hate to say it, but… I think I need to ask for help, buddy.” Now he just had to figure out who would be willing and able to help him out.

_ Leon, maybe? He’s always willing to help me out of a tight spot, but… that poor bastard’s never had a steady relationship in all the time I’ve known him. _

For a brief moment, he considered calling Nessa, but he shot that possibility down almost immediately.

_ Nessa is Piers’s best mate; she tells him everything. There’s no way in hell she wouldn’t tell him I came to her about this. _

The list of possibilities was getting smaller by the second as Raihan systematically considered them all and crossed them out in his brain. Finally, he considered giving Melony a call, and he smiled when he realized he couldn’t think of any cons to calling her. Melony was a mother, and even though she and Gordie didn’t get along very well, she always treated the younger members of the League like they were her children, too.

“Here goes nothin’,” he said to himself, taking his Rotom phone out of his pocket and finding Melony in his contacts list. The phone rang a few times before she finally picked up, and when she did, she sounded genuinely surprised by him calling her.

"Hey, Mel," Raihan said, laying down on the sofa and crossing his ankles over the arm rest at the other end. "Sorry to bother you; I know it's getting late."

"Not at all! It's just rare for you to call me," Melony explained with a little laugh. "Is something the matter?"

"Well, uh… yes and no." Raihan hesitated for a second before continuing. "Was actually hopin' you could give me some advice."

"I'll do my best. Wait… you and Piers didn't get into a little domestic, did you?"

"Nah, nothin' like that. We're both fine, just—" Raihan trailed off with a frustrated sigh and cursed quietly, shaking his head. 

_ Dude, just stop bein' a pussy and come out and fuckin' say it! _

"Truth is, I'm… not good at this sort of shit. Ya know, the whole bein' romantic thing…"

Melony fell silent then, contemplating what Raihan was trying to say but clearly couldn't bring himself to. It didn't take her long to figure it out on her own and when she did, she gasped softly with delight. "Awww, Raihan… Are you trying to tell Piers you love him?"

Raihan blushed. "Yeah. Like, every time I've tried to come out with it, I've pussied out and said something else. It's just… nothing's felt like the right time yet, y'know?"

"I understand. Has he said it to you yet?"

"No."

"Seems to me like you're afraid of how he'll respond," Melony mused. "You think he might not feel the same way?"

"Arceus, Mel, you should be the psychic-type gym leader, not the ice-type!"

Melony giggled. "At my age, I've just been in your situation too many times, so I understand what it feels like. But, honey… I really don't think there's anything to be scared of. I've seen the way he looks at you, especially when he thinks you can't see it. If timing is an issue, ask him out somewhere special — a nice dinner somewhere fancy, maybe — and tell him then. It'll be more meaningful, and even Piers would appreciate the thought you put into making it special."

Raihan considered her advice carefully, a little smile on his face. Melony knew what she was talking about. There was no reason not to trust her when she told him he was being silly for worrying. When he heard the unmistakable sound of Piers's boots just outside the door of the apartment, his eyes widened.

"Thanks for the help, Mel. Piers is back, so I've gotta get goin'. Have a good night, yeah?"

"You too, Raihan." Raihan hung up right as Piers walked in with a couple of plastic shopping bags. Noibat poked its head out from under Piers's long hair, screeching happily when it saw Raihan and flying right into his chest. Raihan laughed and scratched it affectionately under the chin, watching as Piers took off his boots.

"I thought you were just goin' to buy cigarettes?" he asked, quirking a brow at Piers with a grin.

"Figured I shouldn't let you starve, and your fridge was lookin' a bit pathetic," Piers said simply, bringing one of the bags into the kitchen. Raihan heard cabinets opening and the bag rustling and he stood up, walking into the kitchen and leaning against the counter.

"You'll make an excellent wife someday at this rate," Raihan teased with a smirk, his chin resting on his palm. Piers just glared at him. _ Ah, if looks could kill… _

"Who was that on the phone?" Piers asked with only the vaguest interest, electing not to say anything about Raihan's wife comment. 

_ Well, time to lie! _ "Just Rose. Wanted to let him know we're good for the interview on Friday." Fortunately, Piers didn't question him. Raihan followed him back into the living room once everything was put away in the kitchen, and he smiled when he saw Noibat curled up against Flygon’s belly next to the sofa, purring with contentment as they dozed together.

“Noibat’s grown quite a bit since you started takin’ care of it, huh?” Raihan observed. “It was so small when I first found it. Think it’ll evolve soon?”

“Dunno,” Piers answered thoughtfully, laying down on the sofa. “A part of me kinda wishes it’d stay this small forever. It likes being out of its Pokeball more often lately, and my place isn’t big enough for a full-grown Noivern to be wanderin’ around.”

Piers lifted his upper body off the sofa long enough for Raihan to sit down with him, promptly resting his head on the taller man’s lap once he was situated. Raihan ran his fingers absently through the singer’s thick hair, and while he didn’t realize it, there was a thoughtful little frown on his face as he did. He couldn’t stop thinking about his conversation with Melony, and of Piers’s possible reaction to his confession. Would he confess his love to him in return, shy and unsure, or would he tell him he was being an idiot and shrug it off as a joke?

“Oi, where’s your head at?” Raihan shook his head slightly when Piers snapped his fingers in front of his face and he finally became aware that he had been speaking. When he came out of his own thoughts and became more focused, Piers was looking up at him with a mixture of annoyance and concern.

“Sorry, babe… Uh, what did you say?”

“I asked if you have any idea what we should do on our little vacation.”

“Marathon sex?”

Piers scoffed. “Obviously. Anythin’ else?”

"Dunno. Haven't put much thought into it, but uh… maybe we could go on a date, since we haven't had one in a while. Y'know, somewhere nice."

"What, you mean like a fancy dinner?"

"Yeah. Suits, ties, the whole nine yards."

Piers blushed slightly. "I don't, uh… I don't own a suit."

"Buy one then!”

"I dunno…"

"C'mon, please?” Raihan gave Piers his best impression of a sad Yamper, his bottom lip protruding slightly in a little pout. Piers sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Alright, fine. I guess I could have Nessa help me pick one out…”

“That’s the spirit.” 

_ Now I just have to not be a pussy when the time comes. _

“Speaking of Nessa,” Raihan mused thoughtfully after a few minutes, smirking, “you’ve been holdin’ out on me! Never did tell me what the hell she meant when she said giving you a lap dance was familiar, that night when we all played Truth or Dare. Remember?”

“I was hoping you forgot, honestly,” Piers admitted with a groan. He started to sit up but Raihan wasn’t having it, easily grabbing him and pinning him under him on the sofa. He frowned up at the taller man, hands on his chest as he tried pushing him off. Raihan didn’t budge. “C’mon,  _ really? _ ” He shivered when one of Raihan’s hands slid up under his shirt and actively started tickling him and he laughed, shoving at Raihan again.

“Stop!” he gasped, tears in the corners of his eyes as Raihan’s other hand joined in on the tickling. Raihan laughed along with him, grinning smugly. Sex was great, but some of Raihan’s favorite moments were ones like these, where the two could just laugh together with reckless abandon and be silly. It was a side of Piers he knew not a lot of people had seen, and that only made them more special.

“Pay the toll, then!”

“F-fine!” 

Raihan stopped tickling him so he could let him catch his breath, his eyes dancing with mirth as he watched his giggle fit slowly subside.

“Alright… Fuckin’ hell, my stomach hurts now.”

“You’ve got exactly five seconds before I start ticklin’ you again,” Raihan threatened in a vaguely sing-song tone. “Better start talkin’, baby.”

“Fine, fine. Nessa invited me over to her place one night to watch a movie. We had some drinks, the movie had a really great sex scene in it… Put us in the mood, obviously, and neither of us was seein’ anyone at the time, so we had some fun. It was just the one time, we both agreed not to let it make things awkward between us, and that was that.”

"Holy shit," Raihan laughed. "How was she?"

"Are we seriously having this discussion right now?" Piers tensed when Raihan wiggled his fingertips threateningly against his sides, and he glared up at him. "The part of me that had a crush on her since we were kids wasn't disappointed. Happy?"

"When did all this happen?"

"Two and a half years ago, just about."

"She wasn't your first, was she?"

Piers hesitated, and it didn’t escape Raihan’s notice. "No… There was someone before her, when I was nineteen."

Something about the way Piers said it didn't sit well with him. It clearly wasn't the happiest memory, and if it was of Piers's first time ever having sex, which  _ should _ have been a nice memory, that raised a red flag. His brow furrowed and he rested a hand softly against Piers's cheek.

"Anyone I know?"

"No."

"Good." After that, nothing more was said on the matter.

**************************

Piers looked around the boutique anxiously, and Nessa was practically vibrating next to him with excitement. When he asked her to help him pick out a suit, she agreed without a second thought and insisted they go to one of Wyndon’s finest boutiques. Piers felt so out of his element in a place like this, and a part of him wanted to turn around and just walk right out. The only time he’d ever even worn a suit was to his mother’s funeral, and that had been a cheap rental that didn’t fit properly. He tried on at least ten suits, modeling each one for Nessa to get her professional opinion. One of the last suits he tried on a white one with a black dress shirt, and when she saw him in it, Nessa clapped.

"That's the one. A white suit, with your complexion and your dark hair… I can't believe I didn't think of that."

"It  _ is  _ pretty nice," Piers agreed, pulling the jacket a bit tighter around his lithe frame as he turned around and looked over his shoulder at his reflection in the mirror. "I'll take it."

"You know," Nessa started thoughtfully, tapping her chin as she walked up to him and looked him over, "you can probably skip the tie with this one." Piers blushed when she started unbuttoning his shirt, eyes wide as he glanced quickly around them to make sure no one was watching. The last thing he needed was for something like this to get taken out of context and plastered all over the internet. 

"Ness, what—"

"It's not weird unless you make it weird. Just trust me." She opened only the first few buttons, exposing his clavicles and the top section of his chest before backing away and admiring her handiwork. 

"There. The best kind of date wear is the kind that hints at things to come when you're alone together at the end of the night. He won't be able to resist you looking like that. Although, maybe a necklace to complete the outfit would—"

Piers snorted. "You're treating me like one of your amateur models, y'know. Gonna parade me down a runway too?"

"Only if you're good," she teased.

After changing back into his own clothes and purchasing the suit, Piers left the boutique with Nessa and walked with her to the cafe where he'd first told her about he and Raihan sleeping together. They had been there several times since then and now, it was one of his favorite spots to unwind whenever he had to come to Wyndon.

"Two months since you guys went public," Nessa mused, shaking her head in disbelief. "Time flies."

"Sure does." Piers ate a piece of his Roseli shortcake, savoring the way the sweet treat practically melted on his tongue. 

"Have either of you said 'I love you' yet?"

Piers frowned and blushed, looking away as though ashamed. He was usually good at hiding it, but it did bother him that Raihan hadn't said it yet. Unfortunately for him, Nessa could read him like an open book. She eyed him fondly and reached across the table to give his arm a reassuring pat.

"Sometimes it's better not to rush it," she said, trying to comfort him. "Take me and Sonia, for instance: it took nearly four months for me to get up the courage to tell her how I felt when we started dating."

"I just don't wanna be the first one to say it."

"Neither did I, but sometimes it's better to suck it up and just do it. That way, it's done and you don't have to worry about not knowing how he'll react anymore, y'know?"

"I guess…"

"Spring it on him when you go on that date," Nessa suggested. "Or after, when you two are getting ready for some date-night sex. Make it romantic."

“I’m, uh… not exactly good at ‘romantic.’”

“Raihan doesn’t seem the romantic type either, so I don’t think you need to worry about him judging you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

“I’m not afraid.”

“You are, though. I’m just trying to figure out why.”

Piers  _ was _ afraid. He had been since he first realized how strong his feelings for Raihan actually were. He’d never felt as happy as he did when he was with Raihan, and trust didn’t come easily. A part of him still wondered if it was all just wishful thinking that maybe, just maybe, Raihan felt the same. What if he was wrong? What if, what if, what if…

Piers straightened up a bit when he felt Nessa squeeze his hand, and he looked at her with shiny, uncertain eyes. Nessa smiled kindly, just a slight upturn of the lips.

“Everything’s gonna be fine, love.”

***********************

The day of their interview came quickly, and Piers was on edge the entire morning, starting from the moment they woke up tangled in each other's arms. Raihan tried cheering him up by making his favorite curry for breakfast, but even that only did so much. Raihan pouted and got up from the table, moving behind his lover and gently massaging his shoulders.

"Babe, c'mon… it's not that big a deal. It'll only be thirty minutes of our time, and then our vacation starts the second we walk outta there. Aren't you looking forward to that?"

Piers looked up at Raihan with a frown, bringing a hand up to rest on one of his as he rubbed his shoulders. "Yeah, it's just… it's all the invasive questions I'm not looking forward to."

"There won't be anything  _ too _ invasive," Raihan stated. "There's only so far they can go with interviews like this. I highly doubt they're gonna ask which of us gets reamed more often, if that's what you're worried about."

When Piers tried and failed to hold back a little laugh, Raihan beamed and gave him a quick hug before sitting back down at the table to finish his own breakfast. He loved when Piers laughed. In the past, the man had always seemed so stand-offish and gloomy all the time, so Raihan considered it a gift and an accomplishment whenever he was able to make Piers's eyes dance with such joy. The two finished their breakfast in silence, and when Piers spoke next, what he said was a surprise.

"So, for our date… how about tomorrow night?" 

Raihan blinked dumbly at him, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the look in Piers's eyes: shy, endearing, and oh so charming. Raihan's heart ached pleasantly to see it and he smiled, trying to keep the anxiety he was feeling from showing on his face.  _ Fuck, I'm not ready for this. I need more time to psyche myself up. But he's too cute, how the fuck am I supposed to say no to a face like that?! _

"Sure thing, babe."

_ I'm so fucked. _

To say the interview was a disaster wouldn't have made sense to anyone but Raihan. The interview itself went off without a hitch. Questions were asked and answered as fully or vaguely as they chose, and the interviewer was grateful for what they gave her. In Rose’s eyes, it would be considered a success, and he would praise them for a job well done.

What made it a disaster was who interviewed them.

Piers had been tense and quiet during the entire train ride to Wyndon that morning, which made the whole affair uncomfortable enough because no amount of teasing or publicly-acceptable display of affection had been enough to make him relax once they left Hammerlocke together. They got off the train in Wyndon and took the monorail to the Rose of the Rondelands Hotel, where they were greeted by a bellhop who brought their bags up to their room. The interview was going to take place in one of the hotel's smaller function rooms and their interviewer came out to greet them. Raihan knew her when he saw her, and his heart sank at the sight of that familiar strawberry-blonde hair. He'd run his fingers through it enough times in the past and held onto it enough during sex that he would know it anywhere. Piers bristled beside him. Thanks to the internet, he knew who she was, too.

"Right on time!" the young woman said with a giggle, smiling sweetly at them both. 

“Heh, yeah.” Raihan smiled politely at her, but he was internally screaming the whole time.  _ Why her? Why the fuck did it have to be her? _ “How have you been, Elise?”

“I’ve been great!” She turned her big, brown eyes toward Piers then, beaming and holding her hand out toward him. Raihan didn’t believe that smile for a second. “Piers, I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.” Raihan watched as Piers shook her hand, and the singer’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Charmed.” With the tone in Piers’s voice, he may as well have said  _ “fuck you.” _

Raihan was thinking those two words in relation to Rose every second of the interview, because he knew that Rose knew all along who would be interviewing them today, and he hadn’t told him. He wanted nothing more than to wring the bastard’s stupid neck. Every so often, Raihan glanced at Piers sitting beside him during the interview and tried to gauge what he was thinking. His expression was unreadable, but he could see the tension in his shoulders.

“Thank you both so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to meet with me today,” Elise said, delicately crossing one smooth leg over the other as she closed her little pink notebook full of handwritten questions and stopped her recorder.

“Anytime,” Raihan responded, plastering his usual confident smirk on his face as he got to his feet. “So, we good?”

“Officially, yes. Unofficially and strictly off the record, for my own curiosity’s sake, I have to ask… Piers, what brought you two together? You’re both so,  _ so _ different, and you always acted so cold toward him in battles. From an outsider’s perspective, it seemed like you just tolerated each other as a professional courtesy.”

Raihan started to panic a bit inside, his heart pounding when Elise asked Piers something so blunt. Of course she would wait until the recorder had stopped rolling to really ask the juicy, too-personal questions. He watched Piers quietly, almost expecting him to snap, and when he saw how strangely calm he was in the face of such a question, he was genuinely unsettled by it. Where had all that anxiety and discomfort gone? Piers just smiled, cloyingly sweet and insincere, and he tilted his head to the side as he sized her up. 

“Since we’re gettin’ _real_ personal now, I’m curious too,” he began, crossing his arms over his chest. “What drove a wedge between _you_ _two_? You were together, what, three years? A real power couple, if I’m rememberin’ right.”

“Piers—”

“Two,” Elise replied, a thin layer of ice in her tone.

“Right, sorry. Put it from my mind ‘cause it was none of my business. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got a vacation to prepare for. Pleasure to meet you.” Piers grabbed Raihan's hand and tugged him toward the door and he let himself be pulled along, glancing very briefly over his shoulder at Elise. She looked as stunned as he felt.

Piers pushed him into the elevator on the far side of the lobby and he stumbled back against the wall with a little gasp, eyes wide as Piers pressed the number 3 on the keypad by the door. He tapped the heel of his boot impatiently as the elevator was pulled upward, and Raihan could practically feel the raw energy coming off of him. Whatever was going on, he didn’t seem happy.

“Uh, babe?” Piers didn’t respond. Even when they finally got to their hotel room, Piers didn’t say a word, and Raihan didn’t much care for the silent treatment. He frowned and crossed his arms, watching as Piers took off his jacket and threw it onto the bed.

“You gonna keep not sayin' anything, or—” He was silenced by Piers nothing short of crashing their lips together, his hands fisted in the front of his hoodie and pulling him down to his level. It was rough; possessive, even. As they fell into bed and Piers's hands roamed every bit of him he could reach, something about it felt… wrong. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was that felt off, but  _ something _ was, and he didn't like how it made him feel all twisted up inside. He groaned when Piers's hand slid into his pants and found his cock and he grabbed his wrist, stopping him from moving it anymore. 

"Hang on," he breathed, panting as he pulled away from the intense kiss. Piers tried kissing him again and he growled, grabbing his long hair and tugging his head back to stop him. Piers winced slightly, glaring down at him and looking very annoyed at being interrupted.

"What?" he asked huskily, lips red and swollen from the kiss.

"I like it rough sometimes, you know that… but bein' rough to get off and bein' rough because you're angry are two completely different things."

"I'm not mad."

"With all due respect, babe, you're full o' shit. You've been practically vibrating with it since we got in the lift."

Piers frowned and got off of him with a sigh, sitting on the edge of the bed and avoiding eye contact. Raihan sat up, looking at him worriedly.

"Did you know?" Piers asked.

"What, that she was gonna be the one interviewing us? No. Rose conveniently left that part out." Wanting to lighten the mood and clear the air, Raihan sat behind Piers and wrapped his arms around him, holding him close and kissing down the side of his neck. Piers instinctively tipped his head to the side to give him more room, but he stayed silent.

"You know, seeing you all possessive like that was kinda hot," Raihan purred, his tongue flicking out against Piers's earlobe. He felt his slim frame shiver in his grasp. "Still angry?"

"Kinda…"

Raihan slid his hand down Piers's stomach and between his legs, applying some pressure to his cock and rubbing it slowly through his tight black jeans. Piers's breath shook out of him and Raihan continued, fingertips teasing his zipper. He licked his lips when he felt his cock hardening at his touch.

"Thought you didn't wanna fuck while I'm angry?" Piers murmured, his breath catching in his throat for a moment.

"I don't. That's why I'm gonna cheer you up first." He slowly pulled Piers's zipper down and freed his erection, wrapping his fingers around the shaft and giving it a few firm tugs.

"H-hah," Piers gasped, his head falling back against Raihan's shoulder. After a few minutes, he started moving his hips in time with Raihan's hand, his breath rasping out of him in a series of barely contained moans. "Rai…" He let go of Piers's cock and got off the bed, which earned him an outraged whine in response that made him laugh. 

"Relax, babe," he murmured, kneeling on the floor between Piers's legs. "Just wanted a taste…" He pointed his tongue and dragged it slowly up the underside of Piers's shaft, teasing the little ridge at the base of the head. The teasing only continued for a few more seconds before even he couldn't take the suspense anymore, and he took Piers's cock past his lips in one smooth motion. When he felt the singer's hand on top of his head, he hummed around the shaft and bobbed his head slowly, massaging him with the firm press of his tongue and occasionally the lightest grazing of teeth.

"Fuck," Piers panted, his fingers twitching slightly in Raihan's hair when he picked up the pace and sucked him a bit more insistently. The sounds his mouth made as it moved over Piers's cock were utterly obscene, and he couldn't help but take a hand to himself as he sucked him off. Piers started thrusting gently into his mouth and he let him, moaning quietly around his mouthful. He hadn't intended to suck him to completion, but the more Piers's hips twitched and the more he gasped and moaned above him, the more appealing the idea became.

"H-hold on," Piers panted. "If you keep that up, I-I'm gonna…!" The warning only made Raihan double his efforts and within minutes, Piers was whimpering his name and spilling down his throat. He swallowed every drop before pulling away and licking his lips, smirking up at his breathless lover. He was still hard and aching, himself, but he paid it no mind. All he cared about was Piers.

"Feeling better now?" he asked, a slight lilt of playfulness in his tone.

"Yeah," Piers murmured, smiling faintly. He tugged Raihan up by his hoodie and kissed him deeply, leaning back on the bed and bringing him down with him. Raihan hummed into the kiss and when he felt Piers's hand find his cock, he moaned quietly and broke the kiss. He gently moved Piers's hand away from his cock and when he looked at him with obvious confusion in his eyes, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"We've got all day for me to get off," he stated simply. "For now… let's start our little vacation off the right way." When Piers quirked a brow at him, he continued. "While I'm callin' in our reservation for tomorrow night, find a movie on the telly, and we can just be lazy for once and have a cuddle. How does that sound?"

Piers just smiled.

The following morning was perfect. Sleeping in late for once; waking up with his fingers tangled in soft, two-toned hair that smelled like Roserade blossoms; the languid rolling of hips and breathy sighs of pleasure as he succeeded in rousing his lover for a lazy bout of morning sex… Raihan felt truly blessed. He moaned softly into that mess of hair as he reached his end, filling him up with wet heat and smiling contentedly.

"Mmm… Good morning," he murmured, pulling Piers's hair aside so he could kiss the side of his neck a few times. Piers huffed out a breathless little laugh, followed by a quiet whimper as Raihan slid out of him.

"Mornin'." He turned over so he could wrap his arms around Raihan's neck and pull him down for a proper kiss, smiling up at him.

Raihan hummed into the kiss, cupping the side of Piers's face as he returned it. "First day of our vacation… How should we spend it?"

"Dunno. I'd be fine with not leaving this bed, to be perfectly honest."

Raihan laughed. "That can be a thing for tomorrow, maybe. Today, we should get out there and do somethin' fun!" Raihan got up off the bed and stretched, cracking his neck.

"Okay, okay. But first, shower." Piers winced as he sat up, gesturing at the semen coating his belly, the sheets and the inside of his thighs. 

Raihan winced too. "Made a right mess, didn't you? Housekeeping is gonna love us."

"Your fault," Piers said simply with a smirk, getting up and making his way past Raihan and into the bathroom. "That's a bus I'll be more than happy to toss you under, Rai."

"If you think that bothers me, you're wrong," he responded with a laugh as he followed him into the bathroom. "You should know by now, I have no shame."

"You're terrible."

"You love it."

That afternoon turned out to be one of the most fun afternoons that Raihan could remember. Vacations were few and far between in the League, and he wanted to make the most of every second. They went to a wine tasting, went on Wyndon's famous Ferris wheel a few times, walked through the rose gardens and took a ride down the city's canals in a little boat to enjoy the scenery. Wyndon was a beautiful city, and it wasn't often that either of them got to really appreciate it. The whole day, Raihan stayed true to his word, and any selfies he got with the two of them, weren't shared on social media. He didn't so much as look at his phone except to take pictures, and Piers joked a couple of times how proud he was that he'd finally kicked his addiction.

Around five o'clock, the two of them headed back to their hotel room to get ready for dinner. Raihan cleaned up well when he wanted to, opting for a pair of black slacks and a navy blue shirt, with a dark grey vest and a blood-red tie to complete the ensemble. He always felt like he was being suffocated when he wore a tie, but even Piers told him the outfit looked silly without one. When he saw that Piers hadn't changed yet, he raised an eyebrow at him and crossed his arms.

"Shouldn't you be gettin' changed too? I’ll look ridiculous if we’re not both dressed up."

"I will after you leave," Piers stated with a secretive smile. "I'm gonna be a while, and I don't want you to see me all dressed to the nines until we're at the restaurant."

"We're not gonna just go together?"

"Just humor me, would you? I know where it is. I'll meet you there." Piers kissed him softly, and any further protest died on his lips.

"Okay, babe. I'll see you there." Raihan gave his rear a little slap and winked at him before turning on his heel and leaving the hotel room. 

The second Raihan was gone and Piers could no longer hear his footsteps in the hall, he let out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding and set about getting ready. Overall, it took him about an hour to get ready, which was honestly not as long as he’d been expecting. He looked himself over one last time in the mirror, unbuttoning just one more button on his shirt and fluffing his hair just one more time before, finally, he was satisfied. Cheeks flushed and his heart pounding, Piers pocketed his phone and headed out. The restaurant Raihan had picked was only a fifteen-minute walk from the hotel, so at least he wouldn’t have to keep him waiting too much longer.

Raihan took another sip of wine as he waited for Piers to show up, a little frown on his face as he checked the time on his phone.  _ Almost seven o’clock. Bloody hell, I’ve been here nearly an hour. _ That somehow didn’t surprise him, though. Piers did, after all, have some of the thickest hair he’d ever had the pleasure of running his fingers through. He grinned at the thought of Piers getting dolled up for his sake, a light flush across his cheeks.

“Raihan?”

His blood ran cold when he heard the voice and he looked over his shoulder. Sure enough, there was Elise. She had her hair done up and her best feature — her eyes — were accentuated nicely by just the right amount of purple eyeshadow and mascara. He forced a small smile, playing it cool as he looked up at her.

“You stalkin’ me, girl?” he asked playfully, inwardly panicking and counting down the minutes in his head. He still had time. It would take at least fifteen minutes for Piers to walk there from the hotel and by then, Elise would be out of sight and out of mind.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” she laughed, nodding over at a table on the other side of the patio where a stylish young man in a red suit was sitting, reading the wine menu. “I’m on a date. It  _ is _ a Saturday night, after all. That’s always been a free night for me, and I’m a free agent.”

“I remember.”

Elise sat down in the chair beside him after waving at her date to get his attention, mouthing “just a minute” in his direction. She sighed and shook her head, looking at Raihan with a little frown. She clearly had something to say, but all Raihan could think about was the clock ticking down in his head.

“Truth be told, I’m glad you’re here,” she said in a hushed tone. “I, um… I wanted to apologize. For yesterday. I was out of line, continuing to ask questions even after the recorder stopped.”

“It’s okay. I’m not holdin’ it against ya, and I doubt Piers is, either.”  _ Please, just leave! _

"That's a relief," she said with a little smile. "You two are really cute together."

"Thanks. I'm, uh… actually planning on tellin' him tonight that I… um…" He blushed deeply, and Elise giggled. She knew what he was trying to say, thankfully.

"Ohhh, that's wonderful!" She threw her arms around him in an excited hug and Raihan gasped with surprise. He hugged her back, unsure of how else to respond. She was too close to him. Far, far too close. He could feel the heat of her body through her sheer dress and his shirt, and he swallowed heavily. Why the fuck was she wearing such a low-cut dress on a first date, anyway?!

That was when he saw it. A flash of white and black out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head just in time to see Piers running as fast as his legs could carry him in the opposite direction and Raihan swore loudly as he pushed Elise away from him. She gasped, eyes wide.

"What's wrong?" she exclaimed.

"He saw us," Raihan hissed, getting to his feet and throwing some money down on the table for the glass of wine he'd been nursing since he arrived. "He fuckin' saw us; damn it, damn it,  _ damn it! _ " He ran after him, dodging between tables and vaulting over the low wall around the edge of the patio. 

Unfortunately, it seemed Piers had no intention of being caught, and he was already out of sight by the time Raihan got off the patio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That ending fucking hurt to write, okay... Leave comments, leave kudos if you haven’t already, tell me what you thought of the chapter. I promise, the pain train won’t last for too long.
> 
> See you in the next one!


	9. Heartbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piers is heartbroken by what he saw at the restaurant, and coping with it is one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do.

Piers’s lungs were on fire. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him away from the restaurant, continuing on in spite of the burning in his chest and his muscles. He had to get away. He had to. He turned off the main street and down an alleyway, stumbling on a loose stone in the pavement and catching himself against the wall of a nearby building. He just stood there, one hand on the wall and his shoulders shaking with rage and despair in equal measure. He breathed heavily, tears welling up in his eyes as he started to hyperventilate. He brought a hand up to cover his mouth, choking back a sob. He felt like he was going to vomit.

How could he have been so blind? Raihan and Elise had two years of history; of course when she came back into his life, some of those feelings would be rekindled. But why  _ now _ , of all nights? Why now, when Piers’s heart had felt so full and now felt like it wanted to stop?

_ He played me. _

Piers took a moment to catch his breath and get his bearings before continuing on his way, moving on autopilot to the one place in Wyndon where he would feel wanted, even if only for a little while. He needed to feel something, anything, other than the horrible, twisting pain in his chest. If it also had the side benefit of getting even, that was even better.

He found the apartment building easily, checking the buttons near the door for the correct apartment number. Finding it, he steeled himself and pressed it. No turning back now.  _ Please be home. Please. _

“Hello?” came Leon’s voice through the speaker.

“H-hey,” Piers said. “It’s me. Piers.”

“Piers? What… what are you doing here?”

“Was just, uh… in the neighborhood,” he lied. “Thought I’d drop by. C-can I come up?”

A brief pause, and then Piers heard the buzzer that meant the door had unlocked. He pushed it open and took the elevator up to Leon’s penthouse apartment, his heart aching and his stomach roiling. Leon opened the door mere moments after he knocked, and Piers took a moment to really look at him. Leon was a good-looking guy: muscular, dark-skinned and tall, with a kind smile that had won the hearts of so many of Galar’s citizens over the years. He wasn’t fake. What you saw was what you got, where Leon was concerned. Piers swallowed heavily and stepped into the penthouse, hearing the door click behind him as Leon closed it.

“Not often I see you dressed up,” Leon said conversationally.

_ Stop talking, _ Piers thought, eyes shimmering.  _ Didn’t come here to talk. Talking won’t help me forget. _

Talking wouldn't make him feel anything other than the pain eating him up inside.

“What’s going on?” The concern in Leon’s voice only made Piers feel worse. He felt nauseous again. “C’mon, have a seat.” Leon led Piers over to his unnecessarily large sofa and sat down beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

“Piers, what’s wrong? Did someth— _ mmph?! _ ” Piers silenced Leon with a rough kiss, practically pouncing on him as his hands fisted in his T-shirt and pulled him closer. Leon froze against him, and Piers could taste a hint of wine on the man’s lips. Good. That would make this easier. There was no thought to what he was doing; only action. Leon hesitantly returned the kiss a few moments later, his lips unsure as they moved with his own. It wasn’t until Piers maneuvered himself onto his lap that Leon’s body betrayed him and became more interested in the proceedings. He could feel the Champion’s cock starting to harden in his pajama pants and he ground slowly against it; Leon moaned and broke the kiss, panting quietly as he looked up at him. His hands found his slim hips, and Piers could feel the tension in them even as they stopped him from moving. A part of Leon wanted this; wanted  _ him _ .

"Piers," Leon breathed when he started grinding against him again. "Stop. We… we can't…"

"We can."

"Do you even know what you're saying right now? What about Raihan?"

"Fuck him."

Leon was shocked. "What…?"

Piers's eyes burned with tears and he inhaled shakily. "H-he doesn't give a shit about me."

"Of course he does. Piers, what the hell happened?"

"He doesn't!” Piers practically yelled it. “If he did, he… he wouldn't have…" The tears started to fall and when an alarmed Leon pulled him into a tight hug, he completely cracked. He sobbed into Leon's shoulder and the taller man rubbed his back, shushing him softly as he tried to soothe him. Any interest that Leon's body had shown previously was gone now, replaced entirely by the need to stop his tears. He'd never seen Piers's vulnerable side before and honestly, it scared him.

"What did he do?" Leon whispered, a hint of anger tingeing his words.

Piers just shook his head against Leon's shoulder, trembling like a leaf. Leon sighed and simply held him, waiting patiently for him to calm down so he could get some answers out of him. The sound of Leon's phone ringing on the coffee table made them both jump, and Leon gently moved Piers off his lap so he could pick it up. His brow furrowed.

"It's Raihan," he stated, frowning uncertainly at Piers.

"D-don't answer it."

"I need to, Piers. If I don’t, he’ll just come here in person."

"No…!"

Leon answered the phone and Piers covered his mouth with both hands to muffle the sounds of him crying, moving further away from Leon on the sofa. 

"Hello?" Leon's eyes didn't leave Piers as he answered the phone. A pause as Raihan spoke on the other end of the line. "No, I wasn't busy. What's up?" Another, longer pause; a furrowed brow. 

Piers stayed completely still as though Raihan would hear any movement he made and know he was there somehow. He looked at Leon sadly with big, blue eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"No," Leon said finally, "I haven't seen him. You already check the hotel?"

Piers didn't dare let out the breath he was holding, though his shoulders relaxed a bit more when Leon lied for him.

Leon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'll let you know if he turns up… Probably just needs some space, Raihan. Yeah… Alright, talk to you soon." Leon hung up, and Piers finally let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Thank you," he said, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. 

"Don't mention it. So… you gonna tell me what happened? All Raihan kept saying was 'I fucked up.'"

"We had dinner reservations. I said I'd meet him there, a-and when I got there… Elise was practically in his fuckin' lap."

"Elise? Wait a sec…  _ that _ Elise?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Fuckin' hell," Leon sighed, getting to his feet and carding his hands through his hair; a nervous tic, of sorts. "Well, at least now I've got some context for you jumpin' me before. I get it, but Piers… tryin' to get even will only make things worse. It'd feel great at the time, I don't doubt that… but you'd feel awful afterward, and so would I." He smiled faintly, a light blush on his cheeks. "I'd be lyin' if I told you I haven't thought about it once or twice, what it would be like… but I can't take advantage of you like that, mate. I respect you too much to put you through that."

"How noble of you…" Leon frowned at the biting sarcasm behind the remark. Piers stood up, his tears mostly stopped but his breaths still a bit on the heavy side as he tried calming himself down. "I'm gonna go. Sorry for botherin' you, Leon."

"Hey, enough of that. You're not botherin' anybody." Leon smiled warmly at him as he wiped some of the moisture from his cheeks. "Not goin' back to the hotel, right?"

"No. Still got some of my things there, but fuck it. Hotel staff can sell it to the highest bidder for all I care… Just gonna go home…"

"Alright. Just, uh… text me when you get there, okay?"

"Sure."

"I'm serious," Leon stated, frowning. "I'm gonna wait up 'til I hear from you."

Piers smiled slightly at that, eyes shimmering. 

_ Too nice for your own good, Leon… Almost fuckin' molested you just so I could feel somethin’ other than the metaphorical knife in my chest, yet you're still worrying about a garbage fire like me… _

"I'll text you. Promise."

It took an hour or so to get back to Spikemuth from Wyndon by Corvicab and where he would normally feel relieved to be in his own home, he felt so very alone; so lost. He released all of his Pokemon from their Pokeballs in the foyer so they could be out and about for a while and even though they were happy to see him, it didn't take long at all for them to sense that something was wrong. Obstagoon snuffled and nudged Piers's cheek with its cold, wet nose and Piers smiled faintly at the display of affection and concern. He ran his fingers through the Pokemon's coarse fur, swallowing a lump in his throat when he felt Noibat climbing up his leg with its little claws.

"You lot stay downstairs tonight, alright?" he said, gently picking Noibat up and handing it over to Obstagoon. Noibat squeaked in distress and reached for him, looking at Piers sadly. It could sense he was upset, but it didn't know why he wasn't letting it comfort him.

"I'll be okay," he assured the little creature, petting it. "Just need some time to myself. Obstagoon, if Raihan shows up… use Shadow Claw and get his arse outta here." Obstagoon growled with understanding and Piers made his way upstairs to his room. He didn't even bother turning the light on. He changed out of his suit and into his pajamas, using the ambient light from outside his window to see what he was doing. He sent a quick text to Leon to let him know he was home, and he received a reply almost immediately.

**_Take care of yourself. Let me know if there's anything I can do._ **

He forced a small smile as he read the text and he set his phone on his nightstand. Leon was so kind; he didn't deserve it.

Piers felt like he was Marnie's age again, sitting in his room in the dark. He had even pulled out his old Zigzagoon plush from the confines of his closet as a sort of security blanket, squeezing it so tightly to his chest that were it a real Pokemon, it would have bitten him in self defense. He hid his face in its soft fur, closing his eyes tightly and shaking his head against all of the dark thoughts that came flooding in.

" _ How fucking stupid are you?" _ the version of him in his head asked, smirking. In his mind's eye, the anti-Piers was pacing around him slowly in the pitch blackness, his eyes as dark as the endless void around them. He was a terrifying vision, and Piers hadn't seen him in a long time… but he knew he was always there, lurking in his subconscious like a predator waiting to strike. 

He would never truly be rid of him.

_ "What the fuck did you think was gonna happen, mate? Did you really think he was the one? Did you think he was doin' anything but using you? Did you think he actually gave a shit about you?" _

He tensed up, hugging the plush even tighter at the feeling of tears crowding in close behind his eyelids. What  _ had _ he thought?

_ "No one could ever think of you as anything but some fun on the side. A way to pass the time. He's probably havin' a grand ol' laugh about it: about how fuckin'  _ easy _ it was." _

"Shut up," Piers murmured out loud in no more than a whisper, the first of the tears falling down a pale cheek and getting lost in the plush Zigzagoon's fur.

_ "What a fuckin' embarrassment you are. What would Marnie think if she saw you like this? Ah, who am I foolin'? She'd laugh at how much of a fuckin' pussy her big brother — her hero — has become." _

__ "SHUT UP!" 

The anti-Piers faded away, his cruel laugh lingering even after he was gone. Piers's breathing was heavy and fast as he sat there in the darkness of his room, the tears coming faster and faster. 

His phone buzzed on his nightstand, the sound of the vibration on the wood in the otherwise silent room making him jump. He debated ignoring it and just letting it sit there, but… what if it was Marnie? He sighed shakily and picked up his phone, looking at it.

He clutched the phone hard enough that his knuckles blanched when he saw the name at the top of the screen. He swallowed heavily and pressed the Decline button. Before he could put his phone back on the nightstand, the screen lit up again with a text message.

**_Pls answer ur phone._ **

Moments later, it started buzzing again in his hand. He wanted to smash it and be done with it, but even in his compromised state, he knew that wouldn't be practical. This time, he just let it ring out, staring at the screen.

Seconds passed. Another text message.

**_Pls answer babe. We need 2 talk. Let me explain._ **

Piers gritted his teeth as a wave of anger flooded his veins at the sight of the pet name Raihan always used on him. He would  _ dare? _ Now, of all times? Against his better judgement, fueled exclusively by the extreme emotions bombarding him, he called Raihan back. He picked up on the first ring.

"Piers, listen—"

Piers's voice cracked slightly as he spoke, fat tears dripping from his chin. "No,  _ you _ fuckin' listen, and don't worry, I'll be quick. I'll be  _ right _ quick so you can get back to whichever cunt tickles your fancy tonight. Don't approach me at events. Don't come to my concerts. Don't even ask anyone about how I am or what I'm doin', 'cause I know you don't give a Raticate's  _ arse  _ about any of it if it doesn't benefit you or your fuckin'  _ image. _ " He spoke the last word as though it were poison on his tongue. “I’m done. I’m done with being your fuckin’ publicity stunt… and I’m done with you.”

"Is that what you think? I… I know you're pissed, and I know what it looks like. But please... you've  _ gotta _ let me explain," Raihan said quickly, sounding uncharacteristically frantic. "I'm beggin' you."

Piers was shaking. He didn't know anymore if it was anger or sadness, or perhaps a bit of both. All he knew was that it felt like someone had torn him apart inside and he wanted to run away. 

_ “Just like you always do,”  _ came the cruel voice at the back of his mind. 

“Don’t call me again,” he said, voice thick with tears. He hung up and turned the phone off, tossing it to the end of his bed. He buried his face into his Zigzagoon plush once more and the dam completely broke as he sobbed heavily into its fur. The noise was muffled, but his entire body shook with the force of his breakdown. That was it, then. He could feel the darkness creeping in just like it always did. Eventually, he knew, it would snuff out even the tiny flame still dancing in his heart: the tiny flame that, even now, still danced for Raihan.

He stayed like that for a couple of hours, so lost in his anguish and so worn out from all the crying that he didn't hear the sound of footsteps in the hall right outside his bedroom door.

“Piers?”  _ That _ he had heard, and he looked toward the door at the sound of his sister’s voice, eyes wide and red from crying. When had she gotten home? He hadn’t even heard the door open downstairs.

“I’m coming in.” The door opened and the light from the hallway spread slowly across the floor toward his bed, illuminating him just enough for Marnie to see the state he was in. She had heard him crying — of course she had — but  _ seeing _ him so distraught was another thing entirely. She sat down on the edge of his bed, looking at him with obvious worry and reaching out for him. He tensed up for a moment when she touched him, but when she pulled him into a hug, he choked back a sob and closed his eyes tightly as he returned the embrace, hiding his face against her shoulder. He remembered doing this very same thing for her when she was very little, soothing her gently with whatever song he could think to sing for her at the time and holding her close until the tears stopped and he was able to make her smile again.

“Nessa called; told me what happened,” Marnie murmured softly, rubbing his back and squeezing him tighter when he kept crying. “Said you shouldn’t be alone right now, so I… I came home.”

Of course Leon had called Nessa to tell her what was going on. Why wouldn't he? Piers was in no condition to call her and tell her himself.

“Y’know, I always wondered if you’d be helping me with boy problems someday in Mum’s place," Marnie continued, "but I never thought I’d be the one helping  _ you _ with boy problems." He appreciated her attempt to add some levity to the situation and choked on a quiet laugh.

“Nessa told you I was having ‘boy problems,’ huh?”

“Not in so many words. I put the pieces together on my own.”

“Anyone ever tell you you’re too bloody smart for your own good?”

“Constantly.” They both laughed quietly and for a moment, Piers felt his heart lighten. For just a moment, he was able to forget why his face was soaked with tears. Marnie pulled away from the hug slightly to look at him, her expression soft as she brought a hand up to his cheek to wipe away some of the moisture there.

Piers watched as some sort of lightbulb clicked on in Marnie’s brain and she got up suddenly to turn the bedroom light on. She found Piers’s hairbrush before returning to him, kneeling behind him on the bed.

“What are you…?” He looked over his shoulder at her with surprise when she started running the brush through his hair.

“Sing to me. Like you used to when we were kids. C’mon then, I haven’t got all night, unless you wanna be bald at the end o’ this.”

Piers couldn’t help but smile. He could see what Marnie was trying to do, and the love he felt for his little sister in that moment almost made him cry again for an entirely different reason. He remained silent for a couple of minutes, trying to even out his breathing. The song was quiet at first — a silly kid's song he used to sing for Marnie when she was little — but he could soon feel the music rising in him to smother all of that sadness and hate threatening to take over. Soon, Marnie’s voice joined his and together, they chased the darkness away, even if only for a little while.

******************

That night, Raihan didn't sleep. How could he? Every time he even tried to close his eyes, all he could hear was the absolute anguish and hatred in Piers's voice, saying those words over and over again:  _ "Don't call me again." _

At about two in the morning, Raihan finally gave up and packed his things so he could check out of the hotel early. Maybe if he was at home in his own bed, sleep would come more easily. At least he knew he had booze at his place; that would help him sleep. He left Piers's abandoned belongings with the hotel's front desk, giving them his address so they could just mail them back to him. He didn't dare try to bring the bag back to Spikemuth himself; not now, when the wound was still so fresh.

Raihan headed up the stairs to his apartment once he reached Hammerlocke, heart heavy as lead and his eyelids heavy with sleep that refused to come for him. When he went to unlock the door to his apartment and found that it was already unlocked, his heart lightened a bit. Maybe Piers had calmed down and decided to hear him out after all, but in person instead of on the phone. Maybe the nightmare was about to end.

Or maybe it was about to get worse.

When he opened the door, Raihan was greeted by the sight of Nessa sitting on his sofa, her legs and her arms crossed and a rage in her eyes that he had never seen there before. It made his blood run cold and he dropped his bag by the door, barely having enough time to defend himself before she was on her feet and storming up to him with long strides.

She smacked him so hard that his head jolted to the side and he heard a ringing in one of his ears and he cried out in shock, eyes wide as he looked down at her. Her hands were clenched into fists like she wanted to hit him again, and she was shaking.

"One reason," she hissed. "Give me  _ one _ fuckin' reason why I shouldn't beat the shit outta you right now."

"You know what, Ness? Fine.  _ Go ahead _ . May as well get the other cheek, too. Would be a shame if they didn't match." He turned his head to the side and patted the cheek that wasn't stinging, glaring at her from the corner of his eye. "Well? The fuck are you waitin' for? C'mon, I don't have all night."

Nessa's fists slowly unclenched, but the anger in her eyes remained.

"On second thought, it would hurt more if I didn't."

"Fuck you." Raihan kicked his bag in frustration and went into the kitchen, grabbing a clean washcloth and wetting it with cold water so he could soothe the stinging up the left side of his face. He winced, eyes shimmering even as he heard Nessa come into the room. 

"How the fuck did you even get in here?" he asked, not even bothering to look at her.

"Leon told me where you hide your spare key," she stated. "He told me what happened. With you and Elise."

Raihan's eyes widened as he turned his head to look at her. "I never told Leon the specifics. How did…?" Then it clicked. When he'd spoken to Leon on the phone and asked him if he'd seen Piers at all, and he said he hadn't…

He huffed out a disbelieving laugh, anger swelling up inside him like a tide. "Son of a bitch lied to me. Piers was there and he didn't even fuckin' tell me."

"If you were in his position, would you?" Nessa snapped. She looked like she was going to cry, and that was somehow scarier than how angry she was when he walked in. 

"What do you mean 'in his position'?"

"Piers went to Leon's because he… he wanted a distraction."

Raihan's heart sank. He didn't need Nessa to explain what that meant; he knew by the look on her face. 

"They only kissed before Leon put an end to it. Then you called, looking for him. What the fuck would you have expected Leon to say to you, his best friend since he was fuckin’ thirteen years old? 'Yeah, Piers is here and just tried to get in my pants because you broke his fuckin' heart, but it's no big deal'?"

Even if it was just a kiss, it hurt like hell to think about Piers with someone else. Maybe that was what Piers had intended all along. Payback. Raihan's jaw clenched and he looked away, a lump forming in his throat that made it painful to talk. 

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen. None of this should have happened. Tonight was supposed to be special…!"

"Then  _ what happened? _ " Nessa cried, tears in her eyes. “If it’s all a huge misunderstanding and Piers is blowing things out of proportion, then tell me! I don’t want to believe you’re that much of an arsehole, Raihan, I  _ really _ don’t.”

Raihan told Nessa everything; how he’d been waiting patiently for Piers when Elise, also on a date with someone, came up to his table to apologize for her conduct after their interview.

“She told me she thought we were cute together, I told her what my plan was for the night, what I… what I wanted to tell him… and she got super happy about it and hugged me. There was nothing weird or sexual about it; it was just a hug. But, from where Piers was standing, it… it would’ve looked…” Raihan inhaled shakily and looked at Nessa sadly, brow creased with pain that had nothing to do with the stinging of his cheek.

“Please, Ness… You have to believe me.” He could feel the tears starting to fill his eyes, one escaping down his cheek, but he didn’t care that he was crying in front of her. He was so tired; so frustrated; so  _ heartbroken _ , he simply couldn’t keep his emotions in check anymore.

The tears were all the proof Nessa needed to know he wasn’t lying to her. Raihan wasn't that good an actor. She smiled sadly, her own tears starting to trickle down her pretty face as she approached him. She took the cold compress from his hand and held it against his cheek in a show of good faith, and he smiled back.

“When you said you planned on tellin’ him something tonight…” Nessa trailed off, a lilt of curiosity in her voice.

“I love him, Nessa.” It was his first time admitting it out loud even to himself, and he practically choked on the words as more and more tears fell. “I love the tosser, and now he… he doesn’t want anything to do with me. I ruined  _ everything _ …”

“You’re forgetting who you’re speaking to. Piers is my best friend, Raihan; if he refuses to listen to you, he might listen to me.”

“I don’t think it’ll be enough, Ness.”

“Give him a while to calm down and get his head on straight,” Nessa stated. “Then I’ll talk to him and see what he says. Maybe I can convince him to talk to you himself.”

Raihan considered Nessa’s offer for a couple of minutes, using his sleeve to wipe the tears from his face. Eventually, the tiniest grin turned up a corner of his mouth.

“What more do I have to lose?” he asked.

“That’s the spirit.”

*************************

Eventually, morning dawned in Spikemuth. It had taken a long time but eventually, sleep found the heartbroken vocalist. It had taken him without him even realizing, and when he opened his eyes that morning, he felt like he hadn’t gotten any sleep at all. It took his bleary mind only a few waking seconds to remember that he wasn’t alone and he smiled tiredly at Marnie, who was curled up beside him with her face hidden against his chest. She hadn’t bothered changing out of her clothes and into her pajamas before going to sleep, and Piers knew that likely meant she hadn’t left his side even once. She had dutifully watched over her suffering big brother until she, too, became too tired to keep her eyes open anymore; Piers was overwhelmed by how very sweet that thought was. 

He kissed the top of her head softly, holding her close as he absently ran his fingers through her soft, black hair. It wasn’t the first time Marnie had slept in his bed with him, but it had been several years since the last time she hadn’t been able to fall asleep without him by her side. His sweet little sister was becoming an independent, smart, capable young lady far too quickly and now, it seemed their roles had been reversed. Now it was her who was trying to keep the nightmares at bay for  _ him _ .

“Hnn…” Marnie stirred in Piers’s arms and slowly opened her eyes, blinking sleepily at him as she came to her senses.

“G’mornin’,” she yawned, covering her mouth with her hand as she did so.

Piers chuckled quietly. “Mornin’, sis. This is just like old times, hm?"

"Yeah, guess it is." Marnie smiled and sat up, stretching her arms over her head to loosen her muscles a bit and wincing slightly. "Didn't think you were ever gonna fall asleep, to be honest."

"I don't remember falling asleep," Piers admitted. "And… I don't really feel like I got any."

"Think you finally passed out around… 1:30 or so? Dunno, can't really remember. Was pretty exhausted myself at that point, but I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Piers frowned. "Sorry…"

"Oh, shut up. Don't gotta apologize. I was… I was worried, y'know? When Nessa told me what happened and that you would be here by yourself, I got… scared.”

“Scared? Why?”

“Of you doin’ something stupid. Y’know, like… like Mum did.”

“Hey.” Piers sat up and lightly turned Marnie’s face toward him, his chest tightening painfully when he saw the look in her eyes. “Mum was… She was sick.  _ Very _ sick; in pain all the time, and—”

“You’re in pain, too.”

“That’s…” Piers sighed, shaking his head. “It’s different. She was dyin’ and wanted to go out on her own terms. I’ve still got shit to do; someone to live for.” He smiled sadly at his little sister, brushing a single tear from her lashes before it had the chance to fall. “Stiff upper lip, sis. I’m not goin’ anywhere for a long, long time. Promise.” A lump formed in his throat when Marnie hugged him and he slowly wrapped his arms around her small frame, his eyes stinging and threatening tears. He could feel her starting to shake in his arms and he held her tighter, rubbing her back in soothing little circles and shushing her softly like he used to whenever she had nightmares as a little girl. 

“I love you,” Marnie whispered tearfully into his shoulder.

“I love you, too.” Piers’s voice cracked, but no tears came.  _ Maybe I really did just completely dry out my tear ducts last night… _ They stayed like that for a while, just holding each other, until Piers heard Marnie's stomach growl. He was pretty hungry, himself. He hadn't had dinner the night before, after all. 

Piers pulled away from the hug and smiled down at Marnie, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Why don't we go downstairs and I'll make us some breakfast before you head out?"

"Sure, but I'm not goin' anywhere," Marnie stated, smiling slightly. "You're stuck with me today."

"What? But, your Gym Challenge—"

"— isn't goin' anywhere," Marnie finished for him. "Besides, after Melony, you're my next opponent. I'm not about to pummel you into the ground while you're already havin' a rough time."

Piers just smiled.

True to her word, Marnie stayed by his side the whole day. For the most part, hanging out with his sister proved to be a good distraction from the ever-present ache in his heart. He knew that ache likely wouldn't fade for a while, but at least Marnie helped make it more manageable. Piers was strumming away on his guitar and singing quietly to himself, trying to finish up one of the new songs for his next album while Noibat dozed beside him, when the doorbell rang. Noibat’s ears twitched at the sound and its golden eyes opened slightly

"Want me to see who it is?" Marnie asked, getting to her feet.

"Yeah. If it's Raihan, you have my permission to tell him to fuck off. If what I said to him on the phone last night wasn't enough for him to know I don't wanna look at his face, then he's a fuckin' moron." The ache in his chest got stronger as he spoke and he cursed under his breath, closing his eyes against the pain. 

_ Stop thinkin' about it, for fuck's sake…  _

Piers continued to play his guitar as Marnie left the living room to answer the door, but she was back in less than a minute and she wasn't alone.

"Hey," Nessa greeted, smiling slightly at him when he looked up from his guitar. "Wanted to drop in and see how you were holdin' up."

Piers shrugged, playing the indifferent card as he plucked a low note. "Right as rain."

Nessa's smile fell and she put a hand on her hip, looking down at Marnie who was standing beside her with Morpeko on her shoulder.

"Sorry love, but could you run along upstairs for a few minutes? Need to speak with your brother privately."

"Sure." Marnie glanced briefly at Piers and waited for him to give her a little nod before leaving the room and climbing the stairs. Piers set his guitar aside and crossed his arms, leaning back against the sofa and looking at Nessa quietly as he waited for her to speak. Noibat looked at each of them in turn, wide awake now as it was acutely aware of the tension in the room.

"I went to see Raihan last night," she began.

"And?" Piers's voice was clipped; impatient.

" _ And _ he told me his side of things."

Piers laughed, and there was no humor in it whatsoever. "Oh, this is gonna be rich. What bullshit did he feed you, hm? 'It wasn't what it looked like'? ' _ She _ came onto  _ me _ '?"

“The way he explained it was, he was waiting for you at the restaurant. Elise was sitting a few tables away with some dude she was on a date with, saw him, walked over to apologize to him for something she said after interviewing you two. Raihan told her how he feels about you and she hugged him because she was happy for you both. When she was hugging him, that’s when you showed up. It was a misunderstanding, Piers.”

Piers blinked slowly at her, dumbfounded, and he scoffed in disbelief.

“She just happened to be on a date at the same time, at the same restaurant? Are you fuckin’  _ serious? _ ”

“Look, I know it sounds farfetched. I thought so too, but… I believe him. He was  _ crying _ . I’ve known that Raihan longer than I’ve known you, Piers, and I’ve never seen him cry. Ever.”

_ He was… crying? _

Nessa sighed and knelt down in front of Piers, looking up at him with a sad little smile. Piers remained silent, his eyes shimmering as he considered what Nessa just told him. Could it really be true? He didn’t dare hope.

“I’m not asking you to do it today, or even tomorrow… but I really, really think you should just talk to him. Hear him out; let him explain what happened in his own words. Please.”

Piers swallowed heavily and looked away, breaking eye contact because he felt much too vulnerable with Nessa looking at him the way she was. He wanted to believe it was all a misunderstanding. He wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, his feelings weren’t one-sided. But… what if Raihan had taken Nessa in with his lies, too? What if he did choose to believe him — to forgive him — then got played again?

Nessa leaned forward to press a little kiss to Piers’s cheek before standing up and taking a few steps back. “Just mull it over for a while, okay?”

“Yeah. Sure…” 

Nessa showed herself out of the living room and Piers heard the front door open and close as she left the house. The small bit of happiness he’d been able to get out of his day with Marnie, went with her.

***********************

**_I went to see Piers._ **

**_How’d he seem 2 u?_ **

**_Angry. Sad. Give him time. He’ll come around._ **

**_Thanks Ness. I owe u 1._ **

***********************

It wouldn’t be the first time Piers had ever gone to a club to forget his sad little life for a while. He'd only been at the bar for thirty minutes and he was already on his third shot of whiskey. He cursed quietly under his breath and pinched between his eyes, already feeling lightheaded. Noibat was hiding under his hair, occasionally giving in to its curiosity and peeking out at the crowd around the bar and the men and women undulating and grinding against each other on the dance floor. He hadn't intended to bring Noibat with him, but it started crying when he tried to leave the house without it and just like that, he was suckered in.

"What am I gonna do with you?" he had asked the Pokemon, receiving only a little chirp in response that he could almost call smug.  _ Brat… _

It had been three days since Nessa's visit, and for those few days, he had almost texted or called Raihan no fewer than ten times. He knew that he needed to see him and his body language in order to determine if his story about what happened that night at the restaurant was bullshit or not, but he was scared. He was scared of the possibility that Raihan really was lying about what happened, and that he would just have his heart ripped out and stepped on all over again. On the other hand, what if it was true? What if he really had misinterpreted what he'd seen?

_ I miss him, _ Piers thought sadly, eyes shimmering as he tossed back another shot.  _ I actually fuckin’ miss the twat. _ He missed his arrogance; his confidence; that smile that he reserved only for him. He missed waking up every morning, either in his bed or in Raihan’s, with the man’s strong arms wrapped around him.

Raihan hadn’t tried calling him or texting him once since they spoke on the phone the night of the incident, and he hadn’t even posted anything on social media about it. He hadn’t posted anything  _ at all _ . Was he still taking it to heart that the next two weeks were supposed to be social media-free, even though they weren’t together? The idea brought a tiny smile to Piers’s lips. It could have been the alcohol in his system giving him some courage, but whatever the reason, he got up from his seat at the bar and put down enough bills to pay his tab before making his way to the exit. He had to see Raihan and get some real answers. He had to.

Piers walked down the main road, staying close to the buildings and keeping a hand out just in case he stumbled. He wasn’t drunk, but he was tipsy enough where walking in a straight line was a bit of a challenge. It was late, thankfully, so at least not many people were out to give him funny looks. A small victory, but he would take it.

Halfway to the city entrance, Piers heard Noibat growling under his hair. He stopped, slightly alarmed by the sound. It was one he had never heard Noibat make before, and it was unsettling.

“What’s wrong, Noibat?” he asked, looking over his shoulder and scanning the street. He didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, so why was Noibat acting that way?

That was when he heard it. A glass bottle skittered down a nearby alleyway as though it had been kicked and Piers jumped slightly, head whipping toward the noise so quickly that his hair hit him in the face. He reached for a Pokeball at his belt, but cursed when he remembered he had left them all at home.  _ Oh, good show, moron. What the fuck were you thinkin’, only bringin’ Noibat with you?! _

“Hello?” he called out. No answer. He swallowed heavily and slowly entered the alleyway the sound had come from, tense and ready to run if he needed to. When he got about halfway down the alleyway, a Sneasel leaped out from behind a trash bin with a screech and he yelped, stumbling back in shock. The Sneasel hissed, back arched and claws bared in warning.

“Fuckin’ thing,” Piers breathed, a hand on his chest as his heart pounded wildly from the fright it had given him. Noibat fluttered out from under Piers’s hair and chattered angrily at Sneasel as it landed on both feet between them, spreading its wings wide to make itself look larger. Sneasel bared its fangs at Noibat and backed further down the alley, eyes glinting in the darkness.

Unfortunately, with Noibat distracted, Piers didn’t have any warning regarding the tall figure walking up behind him until it was too late. Something hard struck him in the back of the head and stars exploded in his vision for only a split second before everything went dark.

******************************

Raihan was laying down in the center of his bed, frowning as he scrolled through the photo gallery on his Rotom phone for what had to be the hundredth time over the last few days. He missed Piers more than he could say. He missed his voice; his laugh; his shy little smile; his sarcasm. He missed waking up every morning surrounded by the sweet smell of his shampoo and feeling his slim frame curled up in his arms. Looking at photos of Piers and the two of them together supposed to ease the sadness Raihan felt like a stone in his stomach, but all it did was make Piers’s absence more painful. He cursed under his breath and set his phone down beside him, closing his eyes and clasping his hands behind his head.

_ Nessa said he would come around, but… _

Suddenly, he heard something hit his bedroom window and he swore loudly, sitting straight up in seconds.

“What the fuck was that?” he exclaimed, getting to his feet and rushing to the window. His eyes widened when he saw Piers’s Noibat fluttering frantically on the other side of the glass and he opened the window, letting it inside. It flew into his arms and clung tightly to his shirt with its claws, chirping as though in a panic.

“Noibat, what are you doin’ here?” he asked, hugging it close. “You flew all the way here from Spikemuth? I missed you too, but you shouldn’t ha—”

Noibat screeched in frustration and struggled so much in Raihan’s grasp that he had to let it go. Something wasn’t right. He had never seen Noibat act this way. It flew out into the living room and he followed after it, watching with bewilderment as it scratched at the door to his apartment and repeatedly looked over at him. Flygon got up from where it was laying down on the carpet and walked over to Noibat and for a moment, it seemed like they were talking to each other. Raihan approached the two Pokemon and looked at each of them in turn.

“Is Piers okay?” His heart was heavy with dread as he spoke. Noibat’s eyes sparkled with tears and a pit formed in Raihan’s stomach so quickly that he felt sick. There was no time to think. If Piers was in trouble and Noibat knew where he was, Raihan had no choice but to go to him. He rushed out of his apartment with Flygon and Noibat without a second thought and climbed onto Flygon’s back, making sure he had a firm grip on its flanks with his legs so that he wouldn’t fall.

“Take me to him.” Noibat flew up into the night sky as fast as its little wings could go and Flygon took off after it with a mighty flap of its wings.

_ I’m coming for you, baby… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters plus an epilogue are all that remains folks. Thank you so much for sticking with me through the pain. I promise, it’ll be over soon.
> 
> See you in the next one.


	10. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piers finds himself in a very bad situation. Raihan comes to his rescue.

Piers groaned as he slowly swam his way back to consciousness, and the first thing he became aware of was the horrible, splitting pain in his head. The second thing was that, when he was able to focus, he had absolutely no idea where he was. He was on a freezing cold concrete floor, and it seemed to be an old factory of some kind, but there wasn't much else to go on.

"Fuck," he muttered, wincing when every movement made him want to throw up. It wasn't until he tried to sit up that he realized his hands were bound behind his back, and a cold, sickening fear swept through him and over him like a bucket of ice water.

His memory came flooding back and when he recalled how he had been attacked, his eyes widened and he struggled against his bindings. There was almost no give to them, and Piers started to panic.

"Struggle all you want, but it won't do you any good."

_ That voice… _

He knew that voice. It was one he'd hoped he would never hear again under any circumstances, and now here he was, tied up on a filthy floor with a throbbing headache and hearing its silky timbre from the shadows. He looked toward the sound of it and watched, wide-eyed, as a tall man with blood-red hair and green eyes stepped into view. His hair was longer, but he still looked the same as he did four years prior. Those eyes still made him feel like he was looking through him rather than at him, sending chills up his spine just like they had when he was pushing inside him and taking his virginity in one of the private lounges of Spikemuth's finest nightclub. It had started consensual but by the time their encounter ended, it had turned into a nightmare and Piers recognized what a mistake he had made in propositioning him.

"Jace," Piers said softly, trying and failing to keep the fear out of his voice.

The man chuckled as he approached, kneeling beside Piers and firmly grabbing his chin with his hand. "Ah, so you do remember me. Good. Thought my time away from Galar would mean you forgot all about me."

"I wanted to," Piers hissed, trying to sound braver than he felt. "Still get nightmares about that night sometimes, you psychotic piece of—" Piers yelped when Jace backhanded him and sent him reeling, curling in on himself as he once again tried not to vomit from the throbbing pain at the back of his skull. He could taste blood in his mouth where the impact made him bite his tongue.

_ Fuck, this is bad…  _

"I missed you, y'know," Jace said with a sigh, an unsettling calmness in his voice that made Piers shudder. "All that time away in Kalos, and I never stopped thinkin' about you. Been following your escapades on social media for a while now. Have to say, when I saw the news that you were shackin' up with that ingrate from Hammerlocke… it hurt. Cut me deep, babe."

"Don't fucking call me that," Piers snapped, sitting up as best he could without having his hands free to assist him. "You don't have the  _ right _ to call me that."

Jace smirked. "Is that so?" He grabbed him roughly by the hair and yanked him close, pulling his hair so hard it brought tears to his eyes. He glared defiantly at him, trying to swallow his fear.

"We're gonna have some fun," Jace said coolly, sliding his free hand slowly up the outside of Piers's thigh. Panic swelled up inside him and in spite of the brave face he was trying to put on, he trembled. "Gonna show you just how much I've missed that tight, hot—  _ Gah! _ " Piers spit a mouthful of blood in his face in retaliation and just like that, a switch flipped and the situation went from bad to worse. Outraged, Jace shoved Piers over onto his stomach, one hand pressing down on the back of his neck and the other starting to pull his shorts down.

"Get the fuck offa me!" Piers cried, trying to kick him but unable to get the leverage required to do so effectively. " _ LET ME GO!!! _ "

" _ FLYGON, DRAGON PULSE! _ "

Piers's eyes widened and he looked up as the large windows near the warehouse roof were exploded inward and Flygon flew in amidst the chaos. When he saw Raihan on its back, his heart thumped hard in his chest and the tears started flowing unbidden down his cheeks. Close behind Flygon and Raihan was Noibat, who immediately flew toward him when it saw him. 

Jace got off of him as Flygon landed, alarmed by the explosive interruption, and he barely had time to react before Raihan was running at him and tackling him to the ground with a loud roar. Raihan's eyes were wild as he threw punches, his teeth bared with rage. Jace retaliated, laughing like a madman in spite of his broken nose and the blood pouring down over his mouth and chin. Piers just watched in horror, scrambling back across the floor as the two men fought. Noibat gnawed at his binds until its fangs wore the fibers down enough for Piers to break them on his own with enough pressure. He rubbed at his sore wrists, thanking Noibat before looking back at Raihan and Jace.

Piers had seen Raihan go feral before during Pokemon battles, but never in a situation like  _ this _ . Raihan's rage was giving him the upper hand and keeping Jace from really fighting back to any avail, but it honestly looked like he would kill him if left unchecked and Piers didn't want to see Raihan go to prison because of him.

"Raihan, enough!" Piers cried, shaking. "You've won!  _ Stop! _ "

Raihan snarled and paused in his assault when Piers's voice reached his ears, breathing heavily with exhaustion and fury as he looked down at the bruised, bloody and barely conscious man beneath him. He was still alive, but if he punched him anymore and his head cracked against the concrete floor, he wouldn't be. Raihan came to his senses and got off of Jace, giving him one more rough kick to the stomach for good measure. Jace grunted in pain, curling up in the fetal position.

"Fuckin'  _ stay down _ ," he hissed. "Flygon, don't let this fucker outta your sight. And Rotom, call the police, would ya?" His Rotom phone buzzed in his pocket with understanding and did as he asked while he hurried to Piers's side. He knelt beside him and rested a hand against his cheek, frowning at him.

"Alright?" he asked urgently, looking him over for injuries. Piers said nothing at first, just staring at Raihan with wide, teary eyes. His lack of a response made Raihan visibly apprehensive and he held him gently by the shoulders.

"Piers…?" 

"F-fine. I'm fine," Piers stammered after a few seconds. "Just—" He was cut off by a black blur rushing past them and the sound of Noibat shrieking and he whipped around just in time to see Noibat and the Sneasel from before tumbling across the floor, locked together in a frenzy of claws and teeth. They clawed and bit at each other but Sneasel was bigger and soon had the upper hand, pinning Noibat down with its sharp claws and snarling.

"Noibat!" Piers cried, panicking.

Noibat struggled and screeched loudly and suddenly, it was engulfed by a bright, blinding light. Piers and Raihan shielded their eyes from the flash, knowing very well what it meant. When the light faded, the newly evolved Noivern stood upright and roared, shaking vigorously until Sneasel jumped off its back. It spread its large wings and glared down at Sneasel, a deep growl rumbling in its chest. Sneasel backed down and scurried back to Jace's side when it realized the tables had turned and Noivern returned to Piers, lightly nuzzling his cheek with its snout and purring. 

Piers wrapped his arms around Noivern's neck, hugging it tightly and burying his face in the fur there. If it weren't for Noivern getting Raihan and bringing him there, Jace would have undoubtedly had his way with him until he bled, just like their first encounter. The sound of police sirens got closer and closer and Piers looked at Raihan when he felt his hand on his back.

"We're gonna have to give them a report of what happened," Raihan stated, frowning. "I know you probably just wanna go home, but—"

"If it means gettin' this fucker thrown in jail and far away from me, I'll do anything."

Flygon and Noivern touched down in front of Piers's house about an hour later, their respective trainers slowly getting off their backs. Piers felt exhausted; he felt dirty. The police had questioned he and Raihan in turn for close to 45 minutes about what happened and by the end of it, all Piers wanted was to go home and take a long shower. He could still feel Jace's hands on him, and it made him feel sick to his stomach. If Raihan hadn't shown up when he did… 

_ Don't even fucking think about that _ , he scolded himself. The last thing he needed on top of everything else was a nervous breakdown.

Thankfully, the police had all the evidence they needed that Jace was guilty of kidnapping and attempted sexual assault and once they determined his and Raihan's stories matched up, they were free to go.

When Piers unlocked the door to his house and the first thing he saw was a very anxious Obstagoon lying down in the foyer, he couldn’t help but feel guilty. How worried must his Pokemon have been when he hadn’t come home? Obstagoon raised its head immediately when the door opened but when it saw Raihan behind Piers, it bared its teeth and got to its feet, fur bristling with anger. Raihan’s eyes widened when Obstagoon took such a hostile stance toward him, backing up so that he was no longer in the house.

“Hey, whoa, it’s alright!” Piers said quickly, getting between them and running his fingers soothingly through Obstagoon’s neck fur. “It’s okay; I’m okay. See?” Obstagoon slowly relaxed, eyeing Raihan suspiciously for a few more moments before backing down. Raihan stayed where he was on the front steps, wary of crossing the threshold. Piers sighed and motioned for him to come inside, frowning.

“Come in. It’s fine.” He watched as Raihan stepped inside and closed the front door behind him, eyes shimmering.  _ He's here. He's really here. _ “I’m gonna take a shower. Make yourself at home.” He started up the stairs but stopped when Raihan grabbed his wrist. He tensed and stopped, but he didn’t look at him.

“If you think I’m leavin’ you alone for one fuckin’ second after tonight, you’re mental,” he stated, his voice heavy with concern. Piers’s heart twisted painfully in his chest and he just nodded before pulling his arm from Raihan’s grasp and continuing up the stairs. He didn’t have the energy to argue.

After Piers was able to convince Raihan to stay in the bedroom while he showered, under the condition that he leave the door open a crack, he lingered under the hot spray of the showerhead for as long as he could stand to. He closed his eyes as the water soothed his bruises and washed away the gross feeling left on any part of him Jace had touched, shuddering once again at the thought of what would have happened if Raihan hadn’t shown up.

When he returned to the bedroom after his hair was dry, Raihan was still sitting right where he’d left him. The only difference was that he was holding his Zigzagoon plush on his lap. 

"Never seen this before," he stated. "It's cute."

"Needed somethin' to curl up with at night."

Raihan frowned and set the plush aside, becoming suddenly very serious.

"I know it's probably not the best time for it, but… we need to talk. About what happened."

"Start talkin' then." Piers sat down next to Raihan on the bed and just listened as he recounted his version of events from the restaurant. His story didn't waver from the one he'd told Nessa, and there was no sign in the way he told it that he was trying to deceive him in any way. He was telling it like it was, and by the time Raihan finished speaking, Piers's eyes were sparkling. Raihan lightly held both of his hands in his own, his eyes glistening with tears.

"I never meant to hurt you, Piers," Raihan continued, his voice cracking. "I know what it must have looked like, me and Elise hugging… but I swear that it wasn't—" 

"What did you want to tell me that night?" Piers interrupted quietly.

“Huh?”

“You said you told Elise what you wanted to tell me over dinner, and that’s when she hugged you. What did you want to tell me?”

Raihan’s cheeks flushed and he huffed out a quiet, quick laugh. Piers’s heart was pounding. Could Raihan hear it? He couldn't help but wonder.

“Been wanting to say it for weeks now, to be honest. But, every time I tried… it never felt like the right time for it." He inhaled deeply and released it slowly, gathering up his courage. Piers felt like he was going to pass out.  _ Is this…? _

"I love you."

All the air felt like it was sucked from Piers's lungs at the sound of those three simple words. Even so, it took him a few moments to process that he had, in fact, heard him correctly. The tears started flowing, uninhibited, down his cheeks and he inhaled shakily, holding Raihan's hands tighter. 

"H-hey, c'mon… please don't cry. You're breakin' my heart here." Raihan murmured, exasperated. He pressed their foreheads together and closed his eyes, bringing Piers's hands up to his lips and lightly kissing each of his knuckles. "If you don't feel the same way, it… it's fine, you know. I'll understand. If it's really over between us, I just… I wanted to at least have the stones to tell you how I felt."

"Again…"

"Hm?"

Piers choked out a quiet sob, a wavering little smile on his face. "S-say it again."

Raihan's expression softened and he brought their lips together briefly, a single tear slipping down his own cheek as he pulled away. "I love you, Piers.  _ You _ ."

Piers kissed Raihan slowly and deeply then, pouring his whole heart and soul into it as he wrapped his arms around Raihan's neck. He felt a pair of strong arms slide around his waist and hold him closer and he indulged in the warmth it brought. For the first time in days, he felt truly safe and grounded. He broke the kiss and gazed deep into Raihan's eyes, caressing his cheek lightly with his fingertips.

"I love you, too." It was quiet, barely louder than a whisper, but there was no doubt that Raihan heard him as he hugged him tightly and slid his fingers through his hair. Piers sighed with contentment, melting against Raihan's chest and closing his eyes. There was no stopping the tears; he was too happy.

After a few minutes of just sitting there and holding each other, Piers started to push Raihan down onto the bed and swung one of his legs over him, straddling the taller man and entwining their fingers as he pinned Raihan's hands to the bed on either side of his head. He smiled down at him, his long hair falling around his shoulders and framing his tear-stained, blushing face in black and white waves.

"Can you stay tonight?" Piers asked quietly.

"Nowhere else I'd rather be."

All conversation stopped then as clothes were shed and the room was filled with nothing but breathy sighs and gasps and the rustling of sheets. Their every movement was unhurried and gentle; a tender caress here, a soft kiss there. The night was theirs, and they had all the time in the world. Piers eventually ended up on his back with Raihan's fingers slowly and carefully working him open, quiet pleas and shivery breaths escaping him. Raihan smiled down at him, his expression so warm and loving that it made Piers's heart ache.

Once the preparation was over and Raihan's cock had replaced his fingers inside him, a soft cry escaped Piers and he wrapped his arms around Raihan's neck, rolling his hips with every careful thrust. This wasn't typical sex or a frenzied fuck at the end of a long day; it was lovemaking. It wasn't the first time they had made love, but now that their feelings were out in the open, there was something so much more meaningful about the consideration Raihan put into keeping his thrusts slow and deliberate. It was wholly unselfish, and he was putting Piers's pleasure well before his own with every roll of his hips. Piers took Raihan's face between his hands and kissed him slowly, uttering a low moan into the kiss when Raihan ground into him just right.

Pre-cum dripped from the head of his cock and onto his belly, where a slow heat was coiling tighter and tighter inside him. "R-Rai…!"

Raihan groaned, nipping gently at Piers's bottom lip with a smile. "H-hah, Piers… just felt you throb. You close?"

"Y-yeah…"

“Together then…” Raihan panted as he started thrusting just a little bit faster and after another minute, his hips stilled and he moaned deeply as he coated Piers’s insides with slick, wet heat. Piers uttered a soft cry as his orgasm hit him mere moments later, ribbons of white coating the space between their bodies. Raihan slid out of him as he softened and rolled off him and Piers slowly turned onto his side, curling up beside his lover and pushing his head up under Raihan’s chin. He could feel Raihan’s semen slipping out of him and onto the sheets, but he didn’t care. He was too happy and too warm to care about anything other than Raihan’s arms around him.

“I love you, Rai,” he whispered, his eyelids heavy with the promise of sleep. He was exhausted.

“Love you, too.” He felt Raihan’s lips on his forehead and he smiled, nuzzling him. “Get some sleep, baby.”

“ ‘m not tired,” Piers protested, though the fact that he was starting to slur betrayed how tired he actually was. Raihan chuckled.

“You’re so full of it. Don’t worry… I’ll still be here in the morning.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go. It was a long time coming, but the pain train has been officially decommissioned. ^_^ We are getting very close to the end of this now, so thank you again to everyone who has stuck with me this far! I think there’s only gonna be one more chapter.


	11. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piers performs at Wyndon Stadium and it proves to be the best night ever in more ways than one.

**_Six months later…_ **

“Good evening, Galar! We’ve got a very special guest with us tonight. Please give a warm welcome to Galar’s number one rockstar and former gym leader of Spikemuth… Piers!”

The crowd erupted into applause as the curtains parted and Piers walked out, his thick hair braided and hanging over his right shoulder and his slim frame sporting a white suit with a black shirt. He waved to the audience with a little smile as he made his way across the stage to sit in the chair reserved for the show’s guests. He sat down and crossed his legs, clasping his hands on his knee as he looked at the show’s host. She looked starstruck.

“Piers, it’s an honor to have you here.”

“Yeah, thanks for havin’ me.”

“So, let’s talk about your new album. Congratulations by the way, you released your new album just last week and it’s already shot up to number one on the bestseller list. I think I’ve listened to it myself way more than is healthy since the release date and I have to say, Piers, it’s your finest work.”

“Very kind of you.”

“What’s your process when you’re writing for albums like this? A few of the new songs are so much more than your standard fare, which are normally very edgy and raw with some sexual undertones. Your song ‘Aching For You,’ as an example… seemed raw in a different way. Almost sad.”

“That’s true. I was, uh… I was in a bad place when I wrote that one. Without gettin’ too deep into it, since it’s a bit more personal than I care to divulge on live TV, I wanted to turn what I was feelin’ into somethin’ productive, y’know? My way of venting, I guess. Initially, that song wasn’t gonna see the light of day.”

“I have to ask: is that song about Raihan? You went public with your relationship a little more than six months ago, and your fans have largely been very supportive.”

Piers grinned. “Whatever gave you that idea?” A few people in the audience laughed, as did the host.

“So, what’s next for you?”

“I’m doin’ a concert at Wyndon Stadium tomorrow night. Some new stuff, some old stuff. I’ve never sung for such a huge venue before, so I’m excited. It’ll be a hell of a show.”

“Sounds like a great time, and I’m very much looking forward to it. Unfortunately, as much as I would love to chat with you more, we are about to run out of time. Thank you for joining us tonight, Piers, and best of luck to you at your upcoming concert.”

“Thank you so much.”

*************************

Piers returned to the hotel after the TV interview and smiled faintly when he entered the room and saw Raihan lounging on the bed. Noivern was lying down beside the bed, and it hissed happily when it saw that Piers was back. Piers chuckled when Noivern approached him, scratching behind both of its ears and smiling. 

“Great interview, babe,” Raihan said with a smirk, getting off the bed and walking over to Piers to give him a slow kiss. “Have I ever told you I love that fuckin’ suit?” Noivern left the two of them alone, wandering to the other side of the room and laying back down with its back to them.

Piers rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Several times, usually right before takin’ it offa me.” Raihan laughed and started doing just that, pushing the white jacket off of Piers’s shoulders and kissing slowly up the side of his neck. Piers hummed, tipping his head to the side to give him more room.

“Nervous about the concert tomorrow night?” Raihan asked before grazing his teeth over Piers’s pulse. “You’ve battled in front of that many people before, but this is somethin’ completely different.”

“A bit, yeah." 

"Well, don't be. I'm gonna be there cheerin' you on, so everything's gonna be great."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence." Piers smiled and wrapped his arms around Raihan's neck, his body pressed flush against his front.

"I'm tired, but… if you play your cards right, you might be able to convince me into havin' some fun before I go to bed, dragon boy."

Raihan smirked, grabbing Piers's ass with both hands and giving it a firm squeeze. "Challenge accepted."

Piers had walked down the same hallway so many times for battles, the screams and excitement of the crowd getting louder and louder with every step. Some of those screams would be for him; others, for whichever of the gym leaders was his opponent that day. 

Tonight, every single one of those screams was a person who was there for him — only him — and it was equally exciting and terrifying. Wyndon Stadium could hold thousands more people than his usual venue in Spikemuth could, and this show was entirely sold out. From where he stood in the dimly lit hallway, he could see the stage that had been erected in the center of the arena for the occasion, and he could honestly say he had never been more nervous before a concert in his life. The rest of his band was already on-stage, playing a purely instrumental intro to get the crowd all pumped up.

He took several deep breaths to calm himself, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he tried to overcome his anxiety. 

"Here goes nothin'," he muttered to himself with a little grin. He stepped out onto the pitch and approached the stage, ascending the steps and grabbing his microphone stand as the stadium lights focused on him. The roar of the crowd was deafening, and he looked all around him at the thousands upon thousands of people in wonder. He laughed in disbelief.

"All I've gotta say is,  _ wow _ , there are a lot of you!" he said, his voice echoing all around the stadium and being answered by excited screams. "Lotsa you, and only one of me. What d'you say we skip the pleasantries this time and I give you what you all came for, yeah?" Right on cue, his band started playing and Piers let the beat of the drums and the scream of the guitar flow through him. He felt so energized, and there was no better feeling in the world. He sang his heart out to every corner of the stadium, his voice swelling and his choreography on stage becoming more comfortable and confident with each verse. 

It was a longer concert than he was used to giving at nearly three hours instead of one and a half, with a fifteen-minute intermission in between, but he felt like he could honestly go longer if he only had more songs to perform. At some point toward the end of the show, Piers grabbed the extra guitar that had been sitting on one side of the stage, unused for nearly the entire performance, and started playing right along with his guitarist. He had never incorporated his skill at playing the guitar into any of his live performances before, so when his fingers moved so skillfully up and down the neck and accompanied his strong, confident voice, the screams of the crowd were nearly loud enough to drown out the music. 

The three hours were over before he knew it, and the song he saved for last was "Aching For You," the most downloaded and listened-to song from his new album. It was hard for him to not get a little emotional while performing such an intensely personal song, and when he came to the end and his voice trailed off, Piers's heart felt full to bursting and he was fighting back tears. The song revolved entirely around his relationship with Raihan: how it began, how much pain he had felt inside when he thought Raihan had betrayed him, and how intensely happy he felt when they made up and their feelings for each other came to light. The lyrics intentionally didn't go into any great detail, but they didn't have to. The message was clear.

The music trailed off as he finished singing and he shook his head with a smile, setting his guitar down and bending down to grab his bottle of water so he could take a swig and soothe his throat.

"So, what'd you all think? You have fun tonight?"

The crowd answered enthusiastically and Piers laughed, breathless. He wiped some sweat from his brow, leaning casually into his microphone stand as he gazed out at the thousands of pairs of eyes watching him.

"I've gotta say, I never thought I would ever be performin' here, of all places. I've battled here so many times, which was good fun while it lasted… but that I've gotten to share my true passion with you all here tonight means so, so much. Thank you for comin' out and lettin' me sing for you. It's been a real treat. As always, there's merch, signed and unsigned, at the door on your way out, and—"

"Hold on, Piers."

His eyes widened when Raihan's voice came through the speakers and he turned his head to watch as the dragon-type gym leader made his way out into the pitch from the challenger end of the stadium with a microphone in his hand. He made his way up onto the stage and smirked as he walked up to Piers and looked down at him. A murmur went through the crowd, and the stadium grew quiet.

"Raihan, what…?"

"Just had some shit I needed to say, and this seemed like a good place to do it," Raihan said with a shrug. His expression softened. "Eight months ago, I came to one of your concerts and took a little video of you singin' your heart out. You all know the one. Thirty seconds. Thirty seconds is all these thousands upon thousands of people needed to see to realize how amazing you are… and I needed even less than that."

Piers swallowed heavily as a resounding  _ "awwww"  _ swept though the stadium. He teared up, saying nothing as he let Raihan speak.

"I can't imagine my life without you in it, and I've been thinkin' a lot lately about how to show you what you mean to me. I tell you all the time… but just sayin' it isn't enough. So, before the show, I pulled a bunch of fans aside and asked them to help me with somethin'." Raihan looked out at the crowd then, pointing to a row of thirty or so fans seated in the section closest to the pitch. Piers just looked at them, bewildered, as they spread something between them that looked like a large banner and held it up for him to see.

He could have sworn his heart stopped when he saw what was written on it in large, blocky letters.

**_M A R R Y M E ?_ **

He gasped sharply and covered his mouth with one hand, cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink and his eyes wide with shock. One of the stadium cameras focused in on the sign, showing it on all of the screens near the stadium roof so the entire crowd could see the sign from wherever they were sitting. When Piers turned back toward Raihan, eyes full of tears, he was down on one knee. He was holding a little velvet box out to him and inside it was a silver ring. It was simple, as most men's rings tended to be, but beautiful all the same. Raihan smiled up at him, his own eyes glistening as he waited for Piers to respond. 

"A-are you serious?" Piers cried, voice cracking. 

"Never been more serious about anything in my life."

The tears started falling down Piers's cheeks and he smiled slowly, overwhelmed by emotion as he nodded his head without a second thought.

"Y-yes…" His voice cracked again, so he tried once more. "Yes!"

The entire stadium roared with excitement at Piers's answer and a round of applause exploded around them as Raihan turned off his microphone and slid the ring onto Piers's finger. He got to his feet and pulled Piers into a kiss, resting a hand on his cheek and brushing away his tears with the pad of his thumb.

The roar of the audience became dull in Piers's ears as they kissed, the world narrowing down to just the two of them as he wrapped his arms around Raihan's neck. When the kiss broke, their lips remained a scant inch apart and Raihan smiled warmly at the overwhelmed singer in his arms.

"I love you," Piers said tearfully, smiling up at him.

"I love you, too. And now, you're stuck with me."

Piers laughed softly and kissed him again and in that moment, he didn't care what tomorrow brought. As long as Raihan was by his side, he knew he could handle whatever life threw at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading "Smothered"! I had so much fun writing this for all of you, but the fun doesn't stop here. There will be not one but TWO one-shots set in this series of fics: one being a prequel to The Fire Within, and the other a little bonus just for fun.
> 
> If you want to be notified when I post the one-shots, follow me here on AO3 and subscribe to notifications of new works!
> 
> Until next time... ;)


End file.
